Tim Keating

Tim Keating   (soldier)
Interest of	Operation Burnham
Stepped down shortly after revelations of NZ forces massacring Afghans.  Chief of Defence Force (New Zealand)  In office 1 February 2014 - 2018 Preceded by Rhys Jones  Vice Chief of Defence Force (New Zealand) In office 2012 - 2014

Lieutenant General Timothy James Keating is a former New Zealand Army officer and Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force. He was appointed Chief of Defence Force in 2014, immediately following his tenure as Vice Chief of Defence Force. He was Chief of Army from 2011 to 2012.

Keating served as Commander, Crib Rotation 6, the Provincial Reconstruction Team, in the early years of the deployment to Bamiyan, Afghanistan.

Keating was promoted to lieutenant general and took over as Chief of Defence Force (CDF) for a three-year term on 1 February 2014. On 3 April 2018 Keating announced he would be stepping down as CDF on the completion of his term on 30 June. Keating did not give a reason for his resignation, but said he was not standing down due to the revelations about Operation Burnham in 2010, where 21 civilian Afghans were massacred by New Zealand forces, which was the subject of the book Hit & Run. Keating was succeeded as CDF by Air Marshal Kevin Short on 1 July 2018.

Honours

In the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours, Keating was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He was promoted to Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2019 New Year Honours.

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