We would like to welcome Daniel Keighran VC to our Lifeline Canberra family.
Daniel Keighran was born in Nambour, Queensland and grew up in Lowmead; a small town approximately 80km from Bundaberg in regional Queensland where his parents bred Paint and Quarter Horses. Dan enlisted into the Australian Army immediately after completing High school on the 5th of December 2000 and completed recruit and infantry training to be posted as a rifleman to 6RAR based at Enoggera in Brisbane all before his 18th Birthday.
He deployed to Rifle Company Butterworth, Malaysia in 2001, on Operation Citadel in East Timor in 2003-04 and again to Rifle Company Butterworth in 2004. In 2005 was promoted to Lance Corporal and then served within Mortar Platoon, Support Company, 6RAR. In 2006 he deployed on Operation Catalyst in Iraq serving as a Bushmaster armoured-vehicle driver, a role he again fulfilled on Operation Slipper in 2007 when he deployed to Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Group. In 2009 when promoted to Corporal Dan was posted back to Delta Company 6RAR.
In February 2010 Dan again deployed on Operation Slipper to Afghanistan, this time with his original Company Delta. On the 24th Aug 2010 his patrol was under fire by a numerically superior insurgent force. After receiving a friendly casualty, Dan acted on his own initiative to take decisive action to turn the tide of battle. This decision would see him risk his life and purposefully draw enemy fire to himself and away from the rest of the members of his patrol who were treating the casualty. As a result of his actions he was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia. The highest award in the Australian Honours and Awards System. His citation reads ‘For the most conspicuous acts of gallantry and extreme devotion to duty in action in circumstances of great peril’.
Since completing his full-time service Dan has held various private sector roles including his current association with Thales Australia as a Key Account Manager. Dan continues to serve his country as a Reservist with the Australian Army and donates his time to numerous not for profit organisations supporting current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members (and their families) who have physical or psychological wounds, injuries or illnesses as a result of their service.