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Brendan Nelson on military awards process

From Teddy Sheean VC with Dr Brendan Nelson · · Life on the Line

“the australian commonwealth naval board which is basically the navy headquarters in that part of australia unlike every other royal australian navy headquarters if you like based throughout the world instead of using royal navy form 57 which actually required a very detailed description of any recommendations for gallantry awards they didn't use that what they simply did was pass on without any advocacy whatsoever or further examination of both sheehan's and whitting's bravery passed it on to the lords of the admiralty”

Brendan Nelson
Senior Vice President; President, Boeing Global, Boeing
Controversial military awards processbureaucratic failureVictoria Cross

On , Brendan Nelson, Senior Vice President; President, Boeing Global at Boeing, spoke about military awards process during Teddy Sheean VC with Dr Brendan Nelson on Life on the Line.

Teddy Sheean VC with Dr Brendan Nelson
Watch on YouTube at 15:00
Teddy Sheean VC with Dr Brendan Nelson
Life on the Line
Watch on YouTube at 15:00
Angus Hordern speaks with Dr Brendan Nelson about Australia’s 101st Victoria Cross recipient, Teddy Sheean VC. Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Teddy Sheean received the Victoria Cross posthumously for his heroism during the sinking of HMAS Armidale on 1 December 1942. Seventy-eight years later, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II approved the award on 12 August 2020. Dr Brendan Nelson, former Minister for Defence in the Howard Government and Director of the Australian War Memorial 2012-19, chaired the 2020 expert panel that reviewed Teddy’s case. His panel’s recommendation for Teddy to receive the VC was the last domino for this award finally being bestowed. In Dr Nelson’s second appearance on the podcast, he told Angus Hordern the story of Teddy Sheean, and exactly how his posthumous VC came about. Teddy’s story is extraordinary in its own right, as is the story of how his VC took so long to be approved, and what finally changed. To see photos related to today's interview, visit our website - www.lifeonthelinepodcast.com - or follow us on social media: @lifeonthelinepodcast on Facebook and Instagram, and @LOTLpod on Twitter.
Brendan Nelson

About Brendan Nelson

Senior Vice President; President, Boeing Global · Boeing

Dr. Brendan Nelson, President of Boeing Global, has been active in media discussions regarding Boeing's strategic outlook and recent challenges. Following the Air India 171 crash involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Nelson described speculation about the aircraft as "wild speculation that is not consistent with facts" and reiterated the company's "complete confidence" in the 787, noting it has completed 5 million commercial flights and carried 1.2 billion passengers. He stated that the aviation industry is operating in "the most complex environment it's seen since World War II," citing supply chain strains, geopolitical headwinds, and tariff impacts. Nelson discussed Boeing's approach to US tariffs, estimating that tariffs on supply chain components outside the US amount to about half a billion dollars, and advocated for a "reciprocal tariff environment which is tariff-free for aviation." In India, Nelson highlighted Boeing's growing presence, including a $200 million engineering and technology center in Bangalore, 7,000 Indian employees, and 375 Indian suppliers. He said Boeing supports "Prime Minister Modi's vision for India, made in India, for India and for the world" and announced upcoming co-investment and co-production deals in defense and autonomous systems. On sustainability, Nelson stated Boeing's ambition is "to get to net zero in aviation by 2050" and that 85% of its R&D budget is invested in sustainability. He also noted that the company expects approximately $100 billion in revenue and $10 billion in free cash flow by 2025-2026.

Profile compiled from Brendan Nelson's verified public interviews and appearances. See all quotes & transcripts →

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