Frankie’s Pod: Uncorking the unforgettable

Frankie Dunn

Long-form interviews with British soldiers, veterans and the people who write about them. SAS and Special Forces operators, decorated servicemen, and honest conversations about PTSD, trauma and life after the uniform. New episode every week.

  1. 18h ago

    The Flight Deck Accident That Ended Her Navy Career | JM Balbuena | Ep 140

    She serviced fighter jets on the deck of the USS John C. Stennis. Oneaccident, and everything changed. JM Balbuena was a US Navy aviation electronics technician with two combat deployments aboard the Stennis. After a flight-deck accident left herdealing with chronic pain, PTSD and insomnia, one night of proper sleep sent her down a road she never expected — into advocacy, authorship, and a fight to get medical cannabis to terminally ill patients in American hospitals. We talk about carrier life, 12-hour shifts and the culture below decks; what the military actually does with people in pain; Ryan's Law and the campaign behind it; and why she wrote Green Renaissance. 📖 JM's book, Green Renaissance: https://amzn.eu/d/00B6QLsS 🔗 JM online: jmbalbuena.com

  2. Aug 13

    Episode 139:Wayne Ingram MBE:The Tankie Who Couldn't Walk Away

    What happens when a young soldier discovers that some battles don't end when you leave the battlefield? In this episode of Frankie's Pod, Frankie Dunn sits down with Wayne Ingram MBE MCPara — former soldier, reconnaissance specialist, paramedic, fundraiser and author — for one hell of a journey through military service, war, trauma, friendship and the extraordinary power of simply deciding to help someone. Wayne joined the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment at just 17, beginning a military career that would take him from the Cold War in Germany to Northern Ireland and Bosnia. He later moved into reconnaissance with the 9th/12th Royal Lancers, where soldiering meant far more than driving around in armoured vehicles. But Wayne's life took a completely unexpected turn during a tour of Bosnia in 2003. That's where he met Stefan Savic, a four-year-old Bosnian boy born with a devastating facial cleft. Wayne could have walked away. Instead, he made a promise. What followed was a remarkable 13-year mission to raise the money needed to give Stefan the surgery he desperately needed. Through fundraising events, challenges and sheer bloody-minded determination, Wayne eventually helped raise more than £160,000 and changed a young boy's life forever. And perhaps unexpectedly, Stefan changed Wayne's life too. In this incredibly open conversation, Wayne talks about joining the Army, the reality of being a young Tankie, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, leaving the military and finding himself in a completely different world as a paramedic. We also get into the things that aren't always easy to talk about — trauma, PTSD, identity, the transition from military life to civilian life and the scars that don't necessarily show. Wayne's story doesn't stop there. His post-military career has taken him into emergency medicine, remote and offshore work, Iraq and Africa, as well as some seriously outrageous fundraising challenges. He's now an MBE, a paramedic, an author and a man who has spent much of his life trying to make a difference to other people. But perhaps the biggest lesson from Wayne's story is a simple one: Sometimes changing someone's life starts with refusing to walk away. This is Wayne Ingram's story — from Croydon to the Royal Tank Regiment, from soldier to paramedic, and from one encounter in Bosnia to a lifelong friendship that changed two lives. Pull up a sandbag. This one's a belter. Frankie's Pod — Uncorking the Unforgettable

  3. Aug 6

    Episode 138: Why PTSD Isn’t Always the Real Problem

    What if the thing keeping trauma alive is not the event itself, but the single piece of information your mind refuses to let you see? Sean McCallum reveals the surprisingly simple logic behind Traumatic Incident Reduction, and why so many people get stuck for years before they finally get relief. Frankie Dunn sits down with Sean for a wide-ranging conversation that moves from a rough childhood on the Lamington Estate to homelessness, recovery, joining the fire service, and eventually mobilising to Iraq with the TA. Along the way, Sean explains how real-world experience, identity, and survival instincts shape the way we cope with danger, loss, and civilian life.You'll discover: Why Sean believes trauma is rooted in repression, not just the incident itselfHow Traumatic Incident Reduction works through repetition, attention, and reaching an endpointWhy EMDR, hypnotherapy, CBT, and other approaches can help some people but not othersHow moral injury, grief, and even a single detail in a scene can become the real source of painWhat life in the fire service and the reserves taught Sean about discipline, challenge, and mutual respectFrankie and Sean also dig into the huge gap in mental health support for firefighters, police, ambulance crews, and responders, plus the promise and risk of using AI as a mental health triage tool. Frankie shares his own hard-won lessons from grief and therapy, while Sean offers the perspective of someone who has spent years helping others process critical incidents. This is essential listening if you care about veterans' mental health, first responder wellbeing, or the deeper psychology of why some experiences heal, and others keep replaying. Honest, practical, and surprisingly hopeful, this episode leaves you with one powerful idea: healing is possible when the missing piece finally clicks

  4. Jul 31

    Episode 137: From Bristol to the Battlefield | Clarence Heal's 24 Years in the British Army

    In episode 136, Clarence Heal shares his remarkable 24-year journey through the British Army, from growing up in Bristol and joining the Army Cadets to deployments in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Cyprus, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He opens up about military life, brotherhood, loss, leadership, and the impact of conflict, while also reflecting on his post-service work, writing, poetry, and support for fellow veterans. It’s an honest, funny, and deeply human conversation about service, resilience, and finding meaning beyond the uniform.

  5. Jul 24

    Episode 136: The Changing of the Guard: How War Changed the British Army

    In this episode, Frankie speaks with journalist and author Simon about his military experience, his book The Changing of the Guard, and the deeper story behind how the British Army evolved through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They discuss accountability, institutional culture, recruitment, media scrutiny, and the tension between nostalgia and reality inside military life. Simon also shares how his brief time in the army gave him an insider’s understanding of its language and culture, while his work as a journalist gave him the distance to write honestly about what changed — and what didn’t. It’s a thoughtful, candid conversation about service, responsibility, and the pressures on modern institutions.

  6. Jul 16

    Episode 135:How a Childhood of Bullying and Abuse Led to a Life of Self-Destruction and Healing

    In this powerful episode, Ian Bailey shares the story behind his long battle with trauma, addiction, and self-destruction after military service. From childhood hardship and bullying to combat experiences, PTSD, gambling, and homelessness, Ian opens up about the moments that shaped him and the turning point that finally pushed him toward recovery. Honest, raw, and deeply human, this is a conversation about survival, accountability, and learning how to move forward.

  7. Jul 9

    Episode 134 Can AI Preserve the People We Love? | Miles Spencer on Digital Legacy, Memory & Grief

    What if the people we love could continue sharing their stories, wisdom, and personality long after they're gone? In this thought-provoking episode of Frankie's Pod, I sit down with Miles Spencer to explore how Reflector is using artificial intelligence to preserve the voices, memories, and personalities of loved ones. By combining decades of photographs, voice recordings, videos, and family stories, Reflector creates remarkably lifelike digital versions that allow future generations to reconnect with the people who shaped their lives. But with technology this powerful come important questions. Together, we discuss the ethical challenges surrounding privacy, consent, authenticity, and the emotional impact AI could have on grief, remembrance, and mental health. Is this the future of preserving family history, or are we entering unfamiliar territory? Join us for a fascinating conversation about how AI is reshaping legacy, storytelling, and what it means to remember the people we love.

  8. Jul 2

    Episode 133 – Adam Lison: 22 IED Strikes, Covert Missions & Finding Purpose Beyond War

    In this episode of Frankies Pod, I sit down with former soldier Adam Lison, whose military career placed him in some of the most dangerous environments imaginable. From elite military training to covert operations in Afghanistan, Adam shares the reality of serving on the front line and what it was like to survive an incredible 22 IED strikes. Adam speaks candidly about the split-second decisions that can mean life or death, the relentless pressure of combat, and the resilience required to keep moving forward when every patrol could be your last. Away from the battlefield, we explore the lasting impact of trauma, the importance of speaking openly about mental health, and how surfing became a powerful way for Adam to reconnect with himself and find balance after years of conflict. This is an honest, powerful conversation about courage, resilience, recovery, and discovering purpose beyond military service. Topics covered: Elite military training Covert operations in Afghanistan Surviving 22 IED explosions Combat resilience and mental toughness PTSD and recovery Surfing as therapy Life after the Armed Forces If you enjoy conversations with veterans sharing their real experiences, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share to help us reach more people.

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Long-form interviews with British soldiers, veterans and the people who write about them. SAS and Special Forces operators, decorated servicemen, and honest conversations about PTSD, trauma and life after the uniform. New episode every week.

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