It’s not a sign of weakness to admit you're not okay, according to Jonathan Church Award recipient Sergeant Wade Newcombe.

While mentoring more than 300 Army and RAAF personnel at the School of Military Engineering as a corporal, he managed everything from administrative hurdles to life-saving mental health interventions.

As the acting holding troop sergeant, he made himself physically and emotionally available to his trainees so they felt comfortable approaching him before issues escalated.

To him, it meant putting his best foot forward and looking out for those around him.

“There's a time to be full-on when the job is on, but when it’s not, you need to be looking out for your soldiers so they feel comfortable coming to you,” Sergeant Newcombe said.

After losing his good friend to suicide, he gained a unique, empathetic perspective on supporting those affected by similar challenges.

'Looking after your mates starts with being honest about yourself. You aren't weak for standing up and admitting you're struggling.'

In one situation he prioritised a soldier’s immediate safety, followed by urgent support to their family and then welfare for the wider troop.

“I kind of know how it feels to be on the other side of it. I was just happy that they didn't have to go through that,” he said.

He viewed his role as primarily people-focused.

“It’s the foundation of being a good soldier,” he said.

Sergeant Newcombe felt honoured when he found out he was one of the recipients of the Jonathan Church Good Soldering Award.

“It feels good to be recognised for something I did and that my chain of command recognised it was something I could be nominated for,” he said.

His message to junior personnel is to always help your mates.

“Looking after your mates starts with being honest about yourself. You aren't weak for standing up and admitting you're struggling,” Sergeant Newcombe said.