The stigma of ptsd is a very deep wound in our worlds military heroes, and mr. His bestselling book on his experiences in combat and related emotional. Exit wounds one australians war on terror by john cantwell. Major general cantwell will describe his experiences. The page turning action of his book will be laced through with his insightful descriptions of his personal struggle over decades with posttraumatic stress disorder. Contact major general ret john cantwell ao dsc via icmi. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty. Lessons for the real world from a real leader, which presents a unique framework of leadership techniques that work in any situation. Majorgeneral ret john cantwell ao dscguest keynote. Exit wounds major general john cantwell with greg bearup. Exit wounds is the compassionate and deeply human account of one mans tour of the war on terror, the moving story of life on a modern battlefield. Johns service record is exemplary and his devotion to a military life is clear. Exit wounds is a brutally honest, highly readable memoir of john cantwells time in the australian army, focusing on his deployments to iraq and.
John cantwell retired from the australian army in early 2012 after a unique career spanning almost 40 years. About the authors major general john cantwell ao, dsc joined the australian army as a private in 1974. Major general john cantwell ao, dsc joined the australian army as a private in 1974. Australia has been at war for the past twenty years and yet there has been no standout account from these conflicts exit wounds is it. In 2010, he commanded all australian troops in the middle east. Major general john cantwell s exit wounds channel 7s sunday night programme featured major general john cantwell, a man who has served in three wars. Major general john cantwell, author of exit wounds. Major general john cantwell was a brilliant soldier, serving in the first gulf war in 1991, iraq in 2006 and as commander of all australian forces in afghanistan in 2010 before retiring in 2012. Exit wounds is the deeply human account of one mans tour of the war on terror, the moving story of life on a modern battlefield. John cantwell ao dsc retired from the australian army early in 2012 after a career spanning almost forty years. Leadership lessons from australias top military commander. Australia has been at war for the past twenty years and yet there has been no standout account from these conflictsexit wounds is it. Cantwell talks about his battle with ptsd lateline. This book is a great view of the militarys hierarchical system and the structures that go unseen by most people.
John cantwell author of exit wounds one australians. He was on the front line in 1991 as coalition forces fitted bulldozer blades to tanks and buried alive iraqi troops in their trenches. John cantwell miltary international speakers group. Channel 7s sunday night programme featured major general john cantwell, a man who has served in three wars. Major general john cantwell back to the drawing board. Major general cantwell served in 3 wars, operation desert storm, the iraq war and as the commander of australian forces middle east. His senior management appointments included that of deputy chief of the army. Not only was he a military hero while he was in service, he continues to be with the writing and publishing of this important book. Major general john cantwell ao dsc joskemanagement. John cantwell knows this from almost forty years of leading men and women in some of the toughest situations imaginable. As a country boy from queensland, john cantwell signed up to the army as a private and rose to the rank of major general. Review exit wounds by john cantwell traces magazine. Raw, candid and eyeopening, no one who reads this book will be unmoved, nor forget its imagery or words. John cantwell afom australian families of the military.
Leadership in action by john cantwell lessons in leadership. He was all set to get the top job of chiefofarmy when he came home in 2011, but he had a nervous breakdown and ended up in a psychiatric hospital. He did not start as an officer but as a private soldier who rose through the ranks to become major general. Major general john cantwell s book exit wounds is his searing story of the realities of australias recent wars and the enduring scars they leave on our armed forces. News limited defence chiefs have flatly denied that the military was facing an approaching tsunami of. This was a moving tribute to major general john cantwell, lloyd, thank you. Major general john patrick cantwell, ao, dsc born 9 october 1956 is a retired senior australian army officer. Now he reveals all he has learned about leadership during his rise through the ranks from private to general in the australian army. Major general john cantwell ao dsc retired from the australian army in early 2012 after a unique career spanning almost 40 years.
Major general cantwells book tells the story of how he joined the army as a private in 1974, rose through the ranks and served in the 1991 gulf war and again in iraq following the 2003 invasion. John cantwell ao dsc retired from the australian army early in 2012 after a career lasting almost 40 years. Talk to a consultant about your event 1800 334 625 or send a. Major general john cantwell ret served in the australian army from 1974 to 2012. Rising from the rank of private to major general he was on the shortlist to become the chief of army following successful command in the middle east. Starting as a private soldier he rose through the ranks to become a major general. Major general john cantwell discusses his book exit wounds, a searing story of the realities of australias recent wars and the enduring scars they leave on our armed forces, with professor amin. Join facebook to connect with john cantwell and others you may know. Interview with major general john cantwell retd, author. Lessons for the real world from a real leader revisit john. Along the way he held a diverse range of command and senior m. He was a tank officer and commanded at every level.
John cantwell, queensland country boy, enlisted in the army as a private and rose to the rank of major general. In his autobiography exit wounds, john cantwell talked about how he did not reveal about his ptsd for 20 long years to serve in the army. Starting as a private soldier he rose through the ranks to become major general. Major general john cantwell ao dsc retd john cantwell retired from the australian army in early 2012 after a unique career spanning almost 40 years. He is the patron or ambassador for several organisations that support wounded and emotionally damaged australian veterans. Leadership in action, john cantwell melbourne university. Composure in death9781258416898, correspondence of john sedgwick, major general 9781258419752, correspondence of john sedgwick, major general 9781275801479, dedication of the equestrian statue of major general john sedgwick9781904799498, correspondence of john sedgwick, major general 9781499110722. His bestselling book on his experiences in combat and related emotional trauma, exit wounds, was shortlisted for the australian autobiography of the year in 20. I always had an interest in the defence forces and joined the army as a private at the age of 17.
Major general john cantwell was a brilliant soldier, serving in the first gulf war in 1991, iraq in 2006 and as commander of all australian forces in. Exit wounds, one australians war on terror by john. Major general john cantwell ao dsc has a new book out called leadership in action. He developed a fear that his car might have bombs and this made him avoid cars as much as possible. Since his retirement major general cantwell lectures on leadership and military affairs to a variety of defence, business and academic audiences. Major general john cantwell retired has written a sobering account of his career with the australian army in the first person, with the editing and guidance of greg bearup with the result being the hard hitting and incredibly honest memoir exit wounds. General cantwells exit wounds, one mans war on terror is an account of his experiences in iraq and afghanistan and then his very personal war with posttraumatic stress disorder ptsd. As a young man from a large family, john cantwell joined the australian army at 17 as a private and rose to become a general. Major general john cantwell commanded australian forces in iraq and afghanistan and he rose to prominence when he released a book in 20 about his. Major general john cantwell ao dsc joined the australian army as a private soldier in 1974 and rose to general officer rank.
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