Episode Eleven - Mark Direen
Mark Direen is a former member of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) who served for 20 years in the Australian Army.
Mark enlisted in the Australian Army in 1993. After completing infantry training, he was posted to 1 RAR. While serving as an infantry sniper, he completed the demanding SASR selection process in 1997. Mark deployed on operations, including: security operations during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, East Timor and five combat deployments to Afghanistan.
In 2007, while serving in Afghanistan, Mark was seriously wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED). Despite his injuries, he recovered and returned to operational service, completing further deployments.
In 2009, Mark worked as a security team leader at the Australian Embassy in Kabul, but later returned to the SAS to train new operators before deploying to Afghanistan once again. Mark spent almost two decades in Afghanistan, both with the SAS and as a security contractor and has a deep understanding of the people and culture.
After leaving the Army, Mark became an expedition guide leading remote expeditions in places such as Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, and Tasmania. He also founded a leadership and resilience business called Point Assist. Wrote the thought-provoking book What's the Point? and created a Whiskey company honouring the sacrifice and service of those he served with, naming it Dog Tag Whiskey.
Mark has become a respected speaker on leadership, teamwork, resilience, and high-performance decision-making. Through interviews and public appearances, he has discussed both the demands of Special Forces service and the transition to civilian life, emphasising continuous learning and adapting after adversity.