S2E21a- Wayne Jones: ex SAS Sky God and Rockstar turned ASX CEO - a podcast by Ben Pronk, DSC & Tim Curtis

A former SAS soldier, many people would now know Wayne Jones as the co-founder, CEO and Director of the Indoor Skydive Australia Group, an ASX listed company operating wind tunnels throughout Australia and the near region.  However, prior to his success in business, Wayne honed his freefall skills within the SAS Regiment, including leading the first operational military freefall mission in the history of the Australian Army.

In this special double episode, Wayne talks to Ben and Tim about his experiences inside and outside of uniform.  In this first installment, Wayne shares a little about his background in rural South Australia and his early years in the Army, including his harrowing deployment to Rwanda during which his section witnessed the atrocities of the infamous Kibeho massacre. 

Wayne then reveals his SAS Selection Course secrets and describes his time within the Unit, and his multiple operational deployments, including to Iraq with the UK Special Forces in 2006. 

Finally, Wayne share some insights into his career as a rock god, including what it’s like to have Angry Anderson sing backup for you!

Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)

03:35   Wayne’s childhood – and why growing up in small town in rural South Australia can serve as a great incentive to join the Army!

06:30   Recruit training at Kapooka, then infantry training at Singleton, graduating on his 18th birthday and posting up to the 2nd Battalion….

08:15   …and into Rwanda, on his first deployment

10:30   The threat – and how confused the landscape was at that time in Rwanda.  Simmering tension, hugely outnumbered – and no real chance of back-up

12:45   Wayne’s experiences at the Kibeho IDP (internally displaced personnel) camp – one of the worst massacres in recent history

16:45   The confusion of being witness to a full-scale infantry battalion assault….onto an unarmed crowd

21:50   Going back in the next day…and the importance of mateship in getting you through a situation like that

23:00   Processing atrocity – how Wayne has dealt with everything he saw at Kibeho

26:00   Musical Interlude!  Ben and Wayne murdering the classic James song Laid in a B-hut in Afghanistan, circa 2008.  It’s amazing the sound quality you can get recording Afghan-made nylon string guitars in a bomb-proof shipping container on an iPhone…

27:00   Back from Rwanda….and onto SAS selection.  Fun Fact:  Wayne was on the same selection course as F18 pilot Tim Robertson – the chronic overachiever we interviewed way back in season one!

31:00   Extrinsic motivators – after all we’ve said in previous episodes, turns out they work!

32:30   Wayne’s rules for himself during selection

35:00   Musical Interlude – Kelly’s Last Dance, a Tongue Charge tune that Wayne wrote about Ned Kelly.  Or an ex-girlfriend.  Or an ex-girlfriend that looked like Ned Kelly – we were never sure

35:40   Wayne’s first impression of the SAS regiment

39:00   Leadership in the SAS – and how to broker the distinction between leadership and ‘likership’

43:50   Wayne’s experience on exchange with UK Special Forces in Iraq, 2006

47:50   The genesis of Tongue Charge – SAS band, and The External’s lesser-known (and far less tuneful) little brother. 

50:45   Tongue Charge’s first gig – ‘you suck!’

52:45   …and their best gig, with Angry Anderson on backing vocals

54:30   The significance of Getting Away With It, the awesome James song that Tongue Charge would end every show with

56:00   The devastating loss of Craig ‘Crackers’ Linacre – an absolute legend, and the original Tongue Charge lead singer

 

External Links

• Wayne’s company iFLY Australia – get involved with some indoor freefall!

 

Music

Tongue Charge!  Recorded in various locations from Cottesloe Beach to Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan

 

Further episodes of The Unforgiving60

Further podcasts by Ben Pronk, DSC & Tim Curtis

Website of Ben Pronk, DSC & Tim Curtis