Mathew Keene – Founder of Young Veterans
Shaun Leane’s Member’s Statement recognising the services of Mathew Keene – the founder of Young Veterans.
“Recently I was very fortunate to meet Mathew Keene, who is the founder of Young Veterans. Matt is a humble but very impressive individual who served in the defence forces between 1998 and 2007 and was deployed in Iraq in 2003. He also has an amazing volunteer history in the general community.
The Young Veterans mission statement says that:
“… young men and women of our Australian Defence Force have a history of willingly answering the call to help those across the globe who are in peril or in dire need of assistance …”
and they have fully fulfilled that goal.
The community they have created:
“… is about moving forward, re-engaging and inspiring young veterans to achieve and succeed beyond active duty. Young Veterans was started as a movement by veteran mates who recognised that there was a gap between recent veterans and those of past conflicts. These mates couldn’t stand by and watch the same issues that plagued the veterans of the Vietnam War happen again.”
Over the past few years their community has grown rapidly across Australia, offering activities, fundraising and social opportunities for their comrades. Young Veterans are 100 per cent volunteer run and operated, and they are passionate about what they do. Young Veterans is an amazing organisation. Matt and his fellow co-founders should be proud of the work they do and continue to do for their comrades.”