Sergeant First Class Timothy Keener

Sergeant First Class Timothy C. Keener is from Eighty Four, Pennsylvania and enlisted as an Indirect Fire Infantryman (Mortar) in June of 2007.  He most recently served as a Senior Drill Sergeant and First Sergeant in the 197^th Infantry Brigade at Sand Hill on Fort Benning, Georgia where he leaded 11B One Station Unit Training for seven cycles graduating 1200 new Infantry Soldiers.

SFC Keener served in numerous roles in mortar platoons, instructor, and leadership positions during his over 19 years of service to include Ammunition Bearer, Radio Telephone Operator, Assistant Gunner, and Gunner in 2^nd Battalion 504^th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1^st Brigade, 82^nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Chief Computer, Squad Leader, and Company Mortar Section Leader in 4^th Battalion 17^th Infantry Regiment, 1^st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1^st Armor Division at Fort Bliss, Texas; Battalion Mortar Section Sergeant and Company 60mm Mortar Section Leader in 2^nd Battalion 501^st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1^st Brigade, 82^nd Airborne Division and later as an Instructor/Writer at the Security Forces Assistance Foreign Weapons Course at the John F. Kennedy  Special Warfare Center and School in Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Joint Operations Center Battle NCO in the Exercises and Mission Command Team at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center at Hohenfels, Germany; Troop Mortar Section Leader 1^st Squadron, 7^th Cavalry Regiment, 1^st Calvary Division.

SFC Keener completed two combat tours to Iraq (2008 & 2009-10) and one to Afghanistan in 2012-13 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom.  He also spent a year on the Global Response Force; participated in Swift Response 15 in Germany and Bulgaria; and forward staged exercise control during Defender 20+ & 21 in Poland and Estonia.

SFC Keener’s military education includes Basic Airborne Course, Combat Life Saver Course, Basic Combatives Course, Infantry Mortar Leader Course, Generator Operator Course, Warrior Leader Course, Technical Transportation of Hazardous Materials Course, Unit Prevention Leader Course, Air Movement Officer / USAF Air Load Planner Course, Advanced Leader Course, Mobile Retention Training Course, Army Basic Instructor and Small Group Leader Course, Instructor Evaluator Course, Security Force Assistance Foreign Weapons Course, Battle Staff NCO Course, Maneuver Senior Leader Course, SHARP Foundation Course, Equal Opportunity Leaders Course, Drill Sergeant Academy, Master Marksmanship Trainer Course, Company Commander and First Sergeant Course, and Common Faculty Development Instructor Course. SFC Keener has a certificate in Advanced Gunsmithing from Sonoran Desert Institute.

His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal (6), Army Achievement Medal (8), Meritorious Unit Commendation (2), Army Superior Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal (6), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3), NATO Medal, Expert Infantry Badge, Parachutist Badge, Driver Mechanic Badge (Track and Wheeled), Drill Sergeant Badge, Basic Instructor Badge, German Armed Forces Parachutist Badge (Bronze), and has received the Order of Saint Maurice (Legionnaire), Order of St. Michael - Airborne (Angelic) and Order of St. George (Bronze) for his contributions to the Infantry, Airborne, and Calvary Communities.

SFC Keener has been married for over ten years and has a son.