This Friday in Perth, Soldier On’s March On event along the Swan River will bring veterans, families and supporters together in a shared show of support.
Walking alongside them will be newly appointed Soldier On Ambassador, Sally Jane.
For the 24-year-old country singer-songwriter, it is a meaningful way to begin her role – walking side by side with the community she has long been connected to.
That connection starts with her family.
‘I’m making my dad do the 20 kilometres with me,’ she says.
Sally is the proud daughter of a Royal Australian Navy veteran.
Her father, Stuart Pottinger, enlisted as a 15-year-old in 1981 before leaving the ADF in 2005, During that time, he served as a Chief Petty Officer and combat systems manager, including deployment to the Gulf when she was just a baby. Sally’s dad then completed another 15 years as a Reservist until 2020.
While his service meant missing parts of her early childhood, it also shaped the environment she grew up in.
‘I grew up in that veteran community,’ she says.
‘Most of dad’s friends are like uncles and aunties to me now.’
That close connection has given her a clear view of both the strengths of the veteran community and the challenges many face, particularly when navigating support systems.
‘We’ve been finding that with a lot of friends and family members that it’s really difficult to get help and support as a veteran,’ she says.
‘It’s something that I definitely want to work on and try and change.’Music has always been part of her life – even if it started by accident.
‘I always wanted to… well, my dad always wanted to learn how to play guitar,’ she says.
‘Mum and I bought him one for Christmas and he just never picked it up, so I kind of stole it from him. I started singing and playing at the same time and it started sounding half-decent. I went to the local pub and got my first gig at 15 and I’ve just been going ever since.’
Now a full-time musician, Sally performs across Australia, playing up to five shows a week and regularly touring regional communities.
‘I do about three to five gigs a week non-stop, pretty much.’
Her time on the road often brings her into contact with veterans and their families, many of them part of the extended community she grew up in.
‘We catch up with so many of Dad’s friends on the road, and meeting veterans that follow our work,’ she says.
‘It’s kind of like a mental health check-in when we’re out on tour.’
Sally’s music reflects those experiences. Blending traditional and modern country influences, she has built a growing national profile, including multiple appearances at the Tamworth Country Music Festival and sharing stages with some of Australia’s most recognised artists.
Her song Bombs & Bullets, written as a tribute to veterans and their families, draws on her lived experience growing up in the veteran community – using music to reflect both service and its impact beyond the individual.
Sally’s appointment as a Soldier On Ambassador follows years of supporting the veteran community through her music and personal networks. She says the opportunity to formally step into the role felt like a natural progression.
She is particularly interested in exploring ways music can support wellbeing, including creating opportunities for veterans and families to connect through guitar and songwriting.
Her national touring schedule also places her in a unique position to reach veteran communities across the country – building awareness and connection wherever she goes.
Friday’s March On Major Swan River 10km & 20km Walk in Perth is just the beginning.
‘I’m really excited to see how I can put music and Soldier On together,’ Sally says.
Join Sally Jane and Soldier On in Perth, Friday 27 March at 8.00 am, for the March On Major Swan River Walk, a powerful 10km and 20km event supporting the health and wellbeing of veterans and their families as part of our annual March On challenge.
The starting point is Optus Stadium, Burswood moving around the Swan River from bridge-to-bridge.
There’s still time to support March On with your donation before the 2026 challenge ends on 31 March.
