She Served Au

29/05/2026

Welcome to a little behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of She Served © AU.

What you see here is less than two minutes of my day, but it probably sums up life pretty well.

It’s laughter. It’s chaos. It’s love.
It’s trying to record a podcast while homeschooling

It’s staying focused on a meaningful conversation while random sound effects suddenly appear from somewhere off-camera. It’s having a daughter who quietly keeps everything together and a son who reminds us all not to take life too seriously.

This is what life looks like for me.

Beautiful, messy, imperfect and full of heart.

I’m incredibly proud of the podcast, proud of the work we do through , and proud of the conversations we’re creating around topics that matter.

But sometimes the journey from A to B includes a completely unplanned trip to Mars and back before you eventually arrive where you were meant to be.

A heartfelt thank you to Melisa Western and Christopher Panter from Maddison Studios for hanging in there, sharing the laughs, and helping me get it done.
Your patience deserves an award.

The world can feel a little crazy at times.
The news can be heavy.
Life can be overwhelming.

So if this little blooper reel brought a smile to your face, a laugh to your day, or simply reminded you that none of us have it perfectly together, then I’m glad I shared it.

It certainly made me smile.

Between Team Omnia © , running initiatives, recording podcasts, and chasing ideas that I hope make a difference, there isn’t always a perfect moment to get things done.
Veterans Sandbox ©
©️

Sometimes you simply make the moment work.

Sometimes the best moments aren’t the polished ones.

They’re the ones that remind us we’re human.
🚺🇦🇺

28/05/2026

South West Vets
FYI

Veterans Information Session – Busselton
Are you a veteran or supporting someone who has served? Join us for an informative and welcoming session at the Busselton RSL.
📍 Location: Busselton RSL Sub-Branch
10 Rosemary Drive, Busselton WA 6280
📅 Date: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
⏰ Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm (approx.)
☕ Followed by afternoon tea
🎤 Presented by: Arthur Barker
This session is a great opportunity to learn, connect, and access support in a friendly environment.
📧 RSVP (for catering):
[email protected]
Come along, ask questions, and connect with your local veteran community.
West Young Veterans She Served Au

19/05/2026

Big thank you to Jennifer and Henri at Hudson Road Family Centre for bringing the “Beyond the Boots and Badge” initiative to life alongside Buddy Up Australia and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Today kicked off the Winter Recovery Sessions at Sweat Kollective in Bunbury and honestly… what an awesome initiative. Sauna, cold recovery, connection, conversation and just a chance to breathe for a minute with people who get it.

A reminder too — this isn’t just for veterans. It’s for our first responders, volunteers, serving members and those who spend their lives showing up for others. Sometimes wellness needs to be practical, accessible and community-driven exactly like this.

Really grateful to see these kinds of programs happening locally in the South West. Quiet support matters more than people realise.

Thank you again to everyone involved for creating safe spaces for recovery, connection and wellbeing.

15/05/2026

Today marks an important step forward in recognising the silent service carried not only by veterans, but by the families who stand beside them.

On this inaugural Western Australian Day of Recognition for Families of Veterans, we acknowledge the invisible load carried by spouses, partners, children and even the animals who become part of military family life.

Service does not stop at the uniform.

Behind every posting cycle is a family packing up homes, changing schools, rebuilding careers, restarting friendships and trying to create stability inside a life built around uncertainty. Many spouses sacrifice employment opportunities, long-term career progression and superannuation security due to repeated relocations and interrupted work histories. The impacts are lifelong and rarely spoken about openly.

Children in veteran families often navigate repeated school changes, disrupted educational pathways, social isolation and the emotional impacts that service life can bring into the home. For families raising neurodiverse or special needs children, those challenges can become even more complex.

The reality is that veteran families experience significantly higher pressures surrounding relationship strain, separation and marital breakdown than many civilian families. Yet despite this, so much of the sacrifice remains unseen.

This is the silent service.

Today, She Served AU acknowledges and thanks Paul Papalia and the Western Australian Government for recognising this day on 15 May. Recognition matters. Visibility matters. Conversations like this matter.

If we are serious as a nation about shaping the future of Defence capability, retention and veteran wellbeing, then we must also invest in the wellbeing, stability and support of the families who carry service alongside them.

To every veteran family navigating the invisible weight behind service — we see you.

Your sacrifice counts too.

— Natasha Hilbers
Founder, She Served AU

10/05/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to every military working dog “dog mums” — because the paws that served our nation deserve a Purple Card, not retirement in silence. 🐾

To all the women who have served beside a military working dog — and to those still serving today — Happy {Furbaby) Mother’s Day. 🤍

Today is for the handlers who carried both the lead and the weight.
The women who trusted their dogs with their lives.
The women who know that service is never truly silent — it’s heard in paws on tarmac, restless nights, deployments, training grounds, and the steady breath of a dog who would walk into danger first.

At Dexter’s Policy, we see the bond between handler and military working dog for what it is:
partnership, loyalty, sacrifice, and family.

Many of these dogs come home carrying the invisible toll of service, just as their handlers do. Yet too often, once discharged, they are treated as equipment instead of veterans.

My Mother’s Day wish this year is simple.
Keogh

That on 12 May, within the Federal Budget, Dexter’s Policy is recognised in principle — and that Australia commits to issuing a Purple Card to military working dogs upon discharge, ensuring they receive lifelong care, dignity, veterinary support, and recognition as veterans in their own right.

Because service is service — regardless of species.

To every female serving and veteran dog handler today:
give your four-legged shadows an extra cuddle from us.
They served beside you.
They carried more than most will ever know.

Happy Mother’s Day to you and your paw babies.
Silent service should never mean forgotten service.

VeteranDogs HappyMothersDay SheServedAU






paul.papalia
©️ ©

29/04/2026

Right, public service announcement for your Wednesday…

Just a gentle reminder that if you stumble into the loo half asleep and feel something that absolutely should not be part of your toilet paper experience…
you did not accidentally buy some new “ultra-textured, Aussie bush edition” roll.

That, my friend, is just your friendly neighbourhood spider doing a surprise mental health check.

And if you launched off the seat and hit a pitch normally reserved for:
– a kid spotting the ice cream truck, or
– a tradie finding a free sausage sizzle
…congrats, you’re still alive and emotionally responsive.

Spider: 1
Dignity: absolutely gone

Happy Wednesday, people. Catch and release complete
Check your rolls, check your sanity, and keep on keeping on. 🕷️

27/04/2026

Hey 🍍—quick one. You’ve got reach, we’ve got women veterans still trying to find each other… feels like a gap we could close pretty easily.

is about connecting the women who served—honouring the trailblazers, backing those still in uniform, and showing the next generation what stepping into those boots looks like. Right now, a lot of them are still MIA when it comes to visibility.

So here’s the ask—use your platform for something that actually matters and help get the hashtag out there. No politics, no drama—just helping women who served find their people.

Because if the boys can rally, surely the girls deserve to be seen too. .hilbers