Lieutenant commander Dave miln

Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 Competitor

ADF service: I served nearly 15 years in the United Kingdom military as a Royal Marine Commando and Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer. I transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in 2019 as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer before being selected for representational duties in San Diego. Following an accident with my family in the snow while posted to the United States, I spent a year undergoing rehabilitation.  

Other information: I have a wife named Clare and we have 2 daughters who are 6 and 4. My parents live in the United Kingdom and my brother lives in Brisbane with his family.

Age: 39 

Hometown: Sydney, NSW 

Current town: Sydney, NSW

Competing in: Biathlon, nordic skiing, swimming and wheelchair rugby. 

What is the nature of your injury or illness? I was involved in an accident with a snow removal machine in Northern California in December 2022. I rolled on top of my daughters to try and protect them before entering the machine and lost both my legs, fractured my pelvis into 4 pieces and broke 6 vertebrae. My wife was 2 metres behind my daughters and witnessed the event, and undoubtedly saved all our lives with her actions. I spent 17 days in a United States hospital in ICU before being flown to Sydney to spend a further 2 months in hospital. 10 weeks after the accident I received my first set of prosthetic legs and was discharged to rehabilitation. I discharged from rehabilitation and returned home at the end of April 2023. I subsequently was readmitted to hospital for further operations for complications throughout 2023. 

Sport background: I played rugby, hockey, athletics and cross country growing up. After joining the military, I took up adventure sports and gained qualifications in white water kayaking, skiing, skydiving, diving and climbing. Post my accident I found real joy playing team sports such as wheelchair basketball with my local club Manly, as well as getting back into the water to surf and downhill mountain bike. 

What role has sport played in your rehabilitation? Sport has and always will play a major role in both my mental and physical rehabilitation. It keeps me grounded, focused and allows me to be the best version of myself.  

How did you feel when you were told you made the Invictus Games team? Elated to be selected for the team and be participating on an international stage 2 years after the accident. 

What is your greatest achievement to date? Finding my wife and having our daughters.  

Why did you apply for Invictus Games? To provide me goals, meet like-minded people, share stories, take motivation from others, and show my daughters that no matter what happens in life you can always achieve what you want. 

What will ‘winning’ look like for you at the Games? Setting new personal bests.

Who is supporting you at the Games? My wife, Clare, along with my daughters, will be joining me at the Games, and my close family in Australia and the United Kingdom will be watching at home.