The 'morale booster'

Greg Knott, St. John's Telegram, 13 Jul 06

Eight-week-old Ben became restless in the hot afternoon heat

as his mother, Maryann Head, talked proudly of her cousin and Ben's godfather, Corp. Keith Mooney, who was injured in Afghanistan Sunday.

Head talked long about how proud Mooney was to be a soldier and

how proud he was to be from Newfoundland and from St. Mary's.

She said her cousin is a joyful person to be around and is the

life of the group.

"He always brings his guitar and bodhran wherever he goes, and a

lot of his buddies joke he is usually the morale booster over

there. He is really funny."

Mooney, a member of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light

Infantry, was injured in a fight with insurgent forces just hours

after Cpl. Tony Boneca became the 17th Canadian soldier killed in

combat operations in Afghanistan.

Originally from St. Mary's, and now stationed in Edmonton, Mooney

joined the Canadian Forces in 1995. Since joining he has served in

Kosovo and Bosnia, and on the drumline for the Queen's Guard. He

left for Afghanistan Jan. 31.

He was shot in the right side of his groin, and in the right knee

and, according to Head, has been doing well and is expected to

make a complete recovery. After the firefight, he was airlifted,

along with another soldier who was injured in the battle to a

hospital at the international coalition base in Kandahar.

Head said Mooney, now walking with a cane, is in characteristic

good spirits, and jokes he's lucky the bullet missed his private

parts.

She said her cousin was aware of the risks associated with this

mission and stressed to his family there was a possibility

something could happen.

"He understands that he has a job to do, and that's part of his

job," Head said.

"Naturally, we're fearful that he's there and especially now that

he's been injured it brings it all that much closer. But we

understand, too, that that's his job and that's what he signed up

for and he's aware of the danger."

Although Mooney and *Boneca* did not know each other before they

went to Afghanistan, they became acquainted during their time there.

Mooney would kindheartedly tease *Boneca* about him being of

Portuguese descent, and that if it wasn't for the Portuguese there

would still be cod in Newfoundland.

"Keith always got to make light of situations, he's a real joker.

That's just his way," added Head.

She said that the death of Boneca has really hit Mooney hard. But

she said as always he remains in high spirits, and wishes for all

his friends and family back home to keep them in their prayers.

Mooney will finish his tour in Afghanistan in late August.