Michael Lorrigan, he joined the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in June 2006. Serving with the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment of the Australian Army, as a Troop Leader.
In 2010, he deployed to Afghanistan with an Australian Battle Group as a Manoeuvre Support Commander.
On returning from deployment, Michael become restless within the military, after the intensity of Afghanistan. In 2015 he removed his Army uniform for the last time and departed to work as a civilian in the Middle East.
With his desire to do more for other veterans, Michael returned to Australia in 2017 to start from humble beginnings his coffee empire, Café Two 14 in Queensland, Australia, since then he’s opened 5 more sites and started a franchised model.
Not content, he was busy enough; at the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, he started Two 14 Recruitment to help Australian Veterans gain employment.
Michael's commitment to helping others is truly humbling. He is currently concentrating on finding various methods to help veterans and civilians by financial or non-financial means.
This includes creating fundraisers, donating where possible, and providing free food and drink donations to women’s shelters as survivors of domestic violence.
Today, Michael tells his story of how an event in Afghanistan gave him a perspective on what it means to be an Australian Solider and the qualities that make the Australian New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) spirit so unique - endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour, and mateship.