Ben Roberts - Smith Benjamin " Ben " Roberts - Smith ( born 1 November 1978 ) is a former Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia , the highest award in the Australian honours system . His Victoria Cross , together with his Medal for Gallantry awarded during a tour of Afghanistan in 2006 , make Roberts - Smith the most highly decorated member of the Australian Defence Force and any other Commonwealth army in recent years . Roberts - Smith was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions during a helicopter assault into Tizak on 11 June 2010 as part of an offensive in the Shah Wali Kot region , while serving with the Special Air Service Regiment during the War in Afghanistan . He was presented with the medal by the Governor - General of Australia , Quentin Bryce , in a ceremony in Perth on 23 January 2011 . In 2006 , Roberts - Smith was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for a previous action in Afghanistan . Military career . Roberts - Smith joined the Australian Army in 1996 . After completing his initial employment training at Lone Pine Barracks in Singleton , New South Wales , he was posted to 3rd Battalion , Royal Australian Regiment ( 3RAR ) . Initially part of a rifle company , he eventually reached section commander in the Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon . With 3RAR Roberts - Smith was deployed to East Timor twice , the first time as part of the International Force for East Timor ( INTERFET ) in 1999 . After completing the SASR selection course in 2003 and completing the SASR reinforcement cycle , Roberts - Smith was posted to 3 Squadron . With 3 Squadron , Roberts - Smith was a member of training and assistance teams throughout South East Asia and took part in operations off Fiji in 2004 . He was also part of personal security detachments in Iraq throughout 2005 and 2006 . Roberts - Smith was deployed to Afghanistan on three occasions , in 2006 , 2009 and again in 2010 . Citations . The following are extracts from the citations of the Department of Defence , Commonwealth of Australia for Roberts - Smith ' s two awards for gallantry . Victoria Cross . On receiving the award , Roberts - Smith said he was honoured and humbled ; I am so very proud to have taken part in the action with my mates . This award also belongs to them and to the Regiment . To my family , my beautiful wife Emma and our baby girls , Eve and Elizabeth , thank you for your enduring support and encouragement . I think for everyone there including myself what ' s going through your mind is you just won ' t let your mates down . It ' s just like being on a football team , you don ' t let your mates down , you go as hard as you can until the game ' s won . Roberts - Smith is expected to continue to fight as a frontline patrol commander following the receipt of the Victoria Cross . He said that " [ O ] nce you reach patrol commander , that is the pinnacle for an SAS operator . You are now the man . " On 11 February 2013 several News Limited newspapers wrongly reported that Roberts - Smith had decided to leave the Army and take up a business career . Later that day the Department of Defence issued a statement on Roberts - Smith ' s behalf in which he stated that he was taking a period of leave and intended to remain a member of the SASR . Post - military . In October 2013 , Roberts - Smith formally announced that he was leaving the full - time Army , but would continue to serve in the part - time Army Reserve . In a press conference Roberts - Smith stated that he is currently studying an MBA at the University of Queensland and intends to pursue a corporate career . Personal life . Roberts - Smith is married to Emma and they have twin daughters , Eve and Elizabeth , who were aged five months at the time of Roberts - Smith being awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia . He is a member of the Hale School class of 1995 . Roberts - Smith was named the new number - one ticket holder of Fremantle Football Club in March 2012 . He is the son of Major General Len Roberts - Smith , RFD , QC , the former Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia and a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia , and Sue Roberts - Smith . His brother , Sam , is an opera singer who graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts .