Capt Keast was born on 18 November 1953 in Pembroke, ON. He enrolled in the Canadian Forces on the 25 January 1973 as an Electrical Generating Systems Technician.
Upon completion of Basic Training in Cornwallis and subsequent trades training in Chilliwack, he was posted to the SAGE Complex in CFB North Bay. While there, he was employed as an operator and maintainer in the last Canadian Forces 24/7 operational power plant south of the DEW Line. During this period, he completed a 6-month tour in Alert in 1977.
Capt Keast was posted to CFB Trenton in 1977. During his employment with the Air Transportable Communications and Control Team (ATCCT), he deployed on WAINCON 78 and 79, Operation BATON (Ankara, Turkey) and Operation OXIDE (Salisbury, Rhodesia). He also deployed on numerous Domestic Operations (EX LAUP, BOXTOPS, etc…). He was appointed to the rank of MCpl in 1979.
In 1980, he was posted to the Power Plant at CFB Summerside as Maintenance Supervisor. Upon promotion to Sgt in 1981, he was employed as the Power Plant NCO I/C.
Capt Keast was posted back to CFB North Bay in 1982 as a Shift and Maintenance Supervisor in the ROCC Complex.
In 1986, he was posted to Lahr Germany and employed with the ADR Sqn as the NCO I/C of the ESR Planning Cell. Capt Keast was promoted to WO in 1988. In 1989, he was transferred to BCE/CFB Lahr as 2 I/C Utilities. He then deployed to Doha, Qatar as the Engineer Tp WO in 1990.
He was promoted to MWO in 1992 and, once again, returned to CFB North Bay as the ROCC CEO and subsequently the ROCC UGS (Underground Superintendent). During this tour, he was the Project Manager for both the ROCC Power Plant Generator Replacement and Base Construction Engineering Relocation Projects.
Capt Keast was posted to 1 Construction Engineering Unit (1 CEU) in Moncton, NB in 1995 and was employed as the Mechanical Systems Designer and Estimator. In addition to being tasked with a number of Engineering Studies, Projects and TAVs, he deployed with 2 CER to Bosnia (IFOR) in January 1996. He then deployed with 1 CEU on ROTO 0 (IFOR/SFOR) in December 1996. Subsequently, he deployed on a TAV to Golan Heights in December 1997, OP RECUPERATION (Montreal) in January 1998, CSM of Works and Design Coy ROTO 3 Bosnia (SFOR) in May 1998, OP ECHO TFA, Italy in April 1999, OP KINETIC Macedonia in May 1999, OP ABACUS (LOCON) Ottawa in September 1999, TFBH TAV Bosnia in November 1999, TFA Relocation Project Italy in March 2000, TFBH Bosnia (Balkans Rationalization Project) in April 2000, to name a few.
Capt Keast was then posted to CFB Gagetown in 2000 and employed as the 3 ASG Engineer Branch Requirements Ops Plan O. He was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer in 2001 and was appointed the 3 ASG Engineer Branch CWO in 2002.
Capt Keast was commissioned to his present rank as an Army Engineer (MOSID 181) in July 2004. He was employed as the 2 i/c of the Infrastructure Development and Project Management Section (IDPM). From 2005 to 2006, he assumed the position of IDPM O. He deployed on TF 1-07 to Afghanistan from March to August 2007 as the TF Engineer Infrastructure Advisor. Upon his return, he was appointed the Requirements Officer for the 3 ASG Engineer Branch, Gagetown.
Capt Keast will retire from the CF on the 10 Oct 2008 after more than 35 years of loyal and dedicated service with the Canadian Forces and has accepted a Class “B” position as the Program Management Officer with the 3 ASG Engineer Branch, Gagetown.
Capt Keast and his wife Dena will continue to reside in Fredericton, NB and have two sons, Michael and David and three granddaughters, Holly, Madelyn and Aryia. Honors and Awards presently held by Capt Keast are the Gulf and Kuwait Medal, General Campaign Star (Afghanistan), SSM (Alert, NATO), CPSM, NATO-FY(3), and CD(2).