# SAS Veteran on Ben Roberts-Smith, ANZAC Day & the Truth About Afghanistan

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066/sas-veteran-on-ben-roberts-smith-anzac-day-the-truth-about-afghanistan
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066/sas-veteran-on-ben-roberts-smith-anzac-day-the-truth-about-afghanistan.md
Podcast: [Straight Talk with Mark Bouris](https://stenobird.com/podcast/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066)
Published: 2026-04-22T08:35:05+00:00
Episode link: https://omny.fm/shows/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-1/sas-veteran-on-ben-roberts-smith-anzac-day-the-truth-about-afghanistan
Audio file: https://p.podderapp.com/2544644999/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/1c4759f0-81fc-4f35-85d1-b305004fc1e8/673b102d-3bbd-47f8-9ee5-b4340081241f/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=573776d2-4dbd-4f2f-a825-b305004fc1ef
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/straight-talk-with-mark-bouris-4048066/episodes/sas-veteran-on-ben-roberts-smith-anzac-day-the-truth-about-afghanistan
Duration seconds: 3894

## Resource

Mark Wales is a former SAS soldier who served multiple deployments in Afghanistan, including intense combat operations that tested the limits of human endurance. In this profound conversation, Wales opens up about the psychological realities of combat, the bonds forged between soldiers under fire, and the complex moral terrain of modern warfare. He discusses the transition from military to civilian life, the systemic failures that prolonged the Afghanistan conflict, and his perspective on the controversial Ben Roberts-Smith case. Wales offers unflinching insights into fear management, the brotherhood of arms, and what ANZAC Day truly means to those who've served. • The psychological impact of combat and managing fear under fire • How military training prepares soldiers for high-stress combat situations • The unique bonds formed between soldiers in the theatre • Chain of command structure and leadership in combat zones • Australia's handling of veteran affairs compared to other nations • The systemic issues that prolonged the Afghanistan conflict • Perspective on the Ben Roberts-Smith case and war crimes prosecutions Join my exclusive Mentored+ community:  https://mentored.com.au/become-a-member/ Subscribe to the Mentored newsletter here:  https://mentored.com.au/newsletter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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## Transcript

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