At Indo Pacific 2025, one of the most impactful moments came not from the main stage, but from a roundtable of Defence spouses.
Hosted at HMAS Watson as part of a cultural immersion program, the discussion brought together about 30 international spouses who had chosen to accompany their military partners to Australia.
Program host Jodi Hammond, wife of Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, said it was important to share knowledge among the spouses.
"My key takeaway from the program is no matter that nearly 30 different countries were participating, there is much more that connects us than there is that separates us," Mrs Hammond said.
"We may have a solution to a problem that somebody else is having and they may have the answers to ours, too."
Mrs Hammond invited the women to share their stories of stepping into unfamiliar territory, taking risks and building identities beyond the title of 'service spouse'.
One of the keynote speakers, the CEO of Aussie Hero Quilts and a former Royal Australian Navy lieutenant commander, Jan-Maree Ball, spoke about acknowledging the service of both serving members and their families.
"Defence members are very humble, but they do deserve the title of hero," she said.
Her message was simple - service members and their families are never alone.
'Ships don't sail without families at home who are thriving and happy to support their Navy member while at sea.'
Meanwhile, Jia'en (Josephine) Wat, spouse and international guest speaker from Singapore, spoke candidly about how being a Defence partner is more than being the person who stays home.
"We have our own careers, our passions, and a need for our own time," she said.
From Germany, Navy spouse Dr Gesche Kaack - a former naval officer, and also a physician and HR consultant - shared a light-hearted revelation: during her time in the German Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), she outranked her husband.
She also spoke about balancing leadership, motherhood to three children, and the pressures of relocating internationally during COVID-19.
Though cultures differed, a shared message echoed through the room - the strength of Defence families is built not only on duty and discipline, but on community, support and the sacrifices of the unseen service that families perform every day.
"The contemporary Navy family doesn't look like it did 34 years ago when Mark and I first got married. Now it comes in all shapes and sizes and has many, many different needs," Mrs Hammond said.
