Mark Donaldson

Mark Donaldson
Corporal Mark Donaldson in 2014
Birth name	Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson
Born	(1979-04-02) 2 April 1979 (age 45) Waratah, New South Wales
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	2002–present
Rank	Corporal
Unit	1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Special Air Service Regiment
Battles/wars	East Timor Iraq War Operation Falconer War in Afghanistan Operation Slipper Battle of Khaz Oruzgan
Awards	Victoria Cross for Australia

Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson, VC (born 2 April 1979) is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honours system. Then Trooper Donaldson was a member of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) when he exposed himself to enemy fire to protect injured troops and then rescued an interpreter under heavy enemy fire in the Battle of Khaz Oruzgan during Operation Slipper, the Australian contribution to the War in Afghanistan. He was presented with the decoration by the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce, in a ceremony in Canberra on 16 January 2009. On 25 January 2010, Donaldson was named the 2010 Young Australian of the Year.^[1] He was promoted to corporal in June 2010.