“Where we should make law is where society can’t regulate itself.”

EP 192: Forged at Sandhurst — A Life of Intelligence, Service and Purpose with Fiona Galbraith

Fiona Galbraith is an extraordinary woman whose life has been shaped by service, courage and an enduring commitment to developing others.

Commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1995, Fiona served for 25 years in the British Army as an intelligence officer. Her remarkable career included service with the Iraq invasion force, deployments to Afghanistan and the responsibility of making high-stakes assessments when accuracy, judgement and the courage to hold your ground truly mattered.

In this deeply enriching conversation, Fiona reflects on the resilience forged at Sandhurst, the power of military camaraderie and the realities of operating in some of the world’s most demanding environments. She explores how expertise and repeated experience shape our judgement:

“I learned to trust my instinct—but instinct becomes reliable only when it has been trained.”

And when circumstances demand immediate action:

“If you stop to weigh the odds, you may have already missed the moment.”

The conversation moves from military intelligence into leadership, communication, social media, violence and the changing meaning of community. Fiona offers a fascinating perspective on how young people experience patriotism, justice and service—and why their minds have become a new battleground.

Now helping to prepare young people for purposeful careers in intelligence, resilience and global security, Fiona brings wisdom, optimism and an unmistakable belief in the next generation.

This is more than the story of an exceptional military career. It is a conversation about trained instinct, moral courage, purposeful leadership and what it means to serve—whether on the battlefield, in the classroom or within society.