True Blue Conversations - Dan Sultanowsky - RAAF / Australian Special Forces Special Air Service Regiment SASR Veteran
True Blue Conversations PodcastShow Notes
Welcome back to True Blue Conversations. Today's conversation is with a man whose journey from the Royal Australian Air Force, to the Australian Army, and ultimately to the Australian Special Air Service Regiment, is a story of determination, sacrifice, self-belief and overcoming doubt. Dan Sultanowsky enlisted in the RAAF in February 2006 as an Airfield Defence Guard, posting to 2ADFS at Amberley, Queensland. Dan deployed to Iraq in 2008 on SECDET 13, attached to 7RAR A Company, In 2010, Dan set his sights on one of the most demanding paths in the Australian Defence Force — SASR selection. Dan attempted SASR selection in 2010 at just 22 years old, and his journey was captured in the Australian military documentary Search for Warriors. Dan went on to pass selection and the required courses before eventually posting to the Special Air Service Regiment in Perth. Serving in the regiment from 2010 through to 2019, Dan deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 with SOTG 3 Squadron, followed by another deployment in 2016 on SOPT and two rotations of TAG - WEST. But Dan's deployment to Afghanistan in 2012 carries a particularly heavy memory. During that deployment, one of his fellow soldiers, Sergeant Blaine Diddams MG, was killed in action. Behind every deployment statistic is a person, a mate, a family and a story — and today, Dan opens up about that reality. In 2019, Dan made the decision to transition out of the Regiment and faced another challenge familiar to so many veterans and first responders — finding his identity and purpose after leaving the world he had known for so many years. But Dan had already been preparing himself for his next chapter. While serving in the Regiment, he taught himself how to code. That passion eventually led him into the IT industry, where he worked as a software engineer and later spent years writing code full-time enabling discreet operations for Defence. Dan eventually left Defence completely in May 2025 and is now working in the private sector, from home, for a US based company. Today, we have a raw and honest conversation about chasing the dream of serving in the SASR, silencing the doubts in your own head, and what it takes to push yourself beyond what you believe you're capable of. We talk about fighting alongside your mates, the realities of deployment, the loss of Sergeant Blaine Diddams MG, and the experiences that can stay with you long after you leave the battlefield. But we also talk about something that affects so many veterans, police, firefighters, paramedics and first responders — transitioning from a life of service back into the civilian world. Who are you when the uniform comes off? How do you find purpose again? And how do you silence the doubt that tells you that you're no longer who you were? Dan's story is one of service, resilience, loss, reinvention and ultimately finding a new purpose. This is a raw conversation about the reality of serving in Australia's Special Forces, the sacrifices that come with it, and the journey of finding your place again when the uniform comes off. Host : Adam Blum Guest : Dan Sultanowsky Editor : Kyle Watkins
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