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Home > Conversations > I was a teenage Navy diver in the Iraq War. Then I had to make a new life for myself


	Podcast:		Conversations
	Episode:		I was a teenage Navy diver in the Iraq War. Then I had to make a new life for myself
	Category:		Society & Culture
	Duration:		00:52:16
	Publish Date:		2026-01-21 00:15:00
	Description:		Aaron Tait was 18 when he was deployed after September 11. His dad's guidance had set Aaron up with the grit he would need as an elite Navy diver, but it took him many years to forgive himself for his role in the war. Aaron comes from a long line of Navy men, and all through his childhood he was waiting until it was his turn to get stuck into life at sea. Aaron even got through the toughest training there is for elite Navy divers — then, following September 11 he was called to war in the Persian Gulf at just 17. Aaron's job was incredibly dangerous. He was boarding and attempting to control illegal Iraqi oil tankers in international waters, and he narrowly avoided death several times. After his service, Aaron found that his ideas about the Navy had changed, and he set out to rectify what he saw as the terrible part he had played in the war. This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. The Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison. It explores Navy diving, navy seals, SAS, Iraq, war on terror, 9/11, pirates, international waters, humanitarian, family love, being a dad, strong dad, broken men, veterans, war veterans, masculinity, toxic masculinity, leaving the military, ADFA, drinking culture, boy dad, travel. To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.
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