Fallen Aussie soldier on his way home

Australian soldier Lance Corporal Jared MacKinney, killed in Afghanistan this week,
has begun final his journey home.
The 28-year-old was shot dead during a three-hour battle with insurgents in the
Oruzgan province on Tuesday, denying him the chance to see his unborn son.
Australian soldiers from the 1st Mentoring Task Force have farewelled the fallen
soldier with a ramp ceremony at the Tarin Kowt base, paying tribute to the fourth
trooper killed in a fortnight.
Commander of Australian forces in the Middle East Major General John Cantwell said
Lance Corporal MacKinney was an extremely popular soldier who would be sorely missed
by all.
"He was killed while engaging the numerous insurgents who were firing on his section
and their Afghan colleagues - Jared died protecting and supporting his mates," he
said.
"Jared was only recently promoted to Lance Corporal and he had taken on that extra
responsibility of looking after his section mates in a way that few do."
The Last Post was played as Lance Corporal MacKinney's flag-draped casket was taken
to the Tarin Kowt airstrip.
His body will be flown to the United Arab Emirates before he makes the final journey
home to Australia.
Lance Corporal MacKinney had been a member of a joint Australian and Afghan National
Army (ANA) patrol near Deh Rawood, about 40km west of the main Australian base at
Tarin Kowt.
The Brisbane-based soldier from the 6th Battalion was the 21st Australian troop to
have died in Afghanistan since 2002 and the 10th this year.
His death came just four days after an improvised explosive device killed two
Australian soldiers in Afghanistan.
He is survived by his wife Beckie and his three-year-old daughter, Annabell.