Darren Neal joined the Army in 1994 from his home city of Oxford. On completion of his training he joined The Royal Green Jackets, which later became part of The Rifles and he was subsequently posted to the 2nd Battalion and later the 4th Battalion. Darren deployed on numerous operations around the world In 2013-16 he was assigned to the Jungle Warfare Division in Brunei, he delivered jungle training and support to the UKSF in the most arduous environment the British Army offers.

As Company Serjeant Major he led and managed a company of 157 which became the champion company for the duration of his tenure. As a reward he was assigned to the British High Commission New Delhi to represent the British Army in 2016 for the visit of the UK Prime Minister during the India Summit along with planning and operations of the Remembrance Service at Delhi War Cemetery.

During his final years in service, he was assigned to 4th Battalion the Rifles part of the Army Special Operations Brigade and deployed on his final tour in 2019 to Iraq. He is currently the only Honorable Member of the Warrant Officer and Serjeants Mess of 4 RANGER.

April 2020 Darren accepted the position of the Beadle of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters where his responsibilities include real estate management of infrastructure, facilities, project management, contracts, events, and personnel.

Darren lives in Andover, Hampshire with his wife Melanie and their three children along with the family pet dog Hugo the Boxer, his hobbies and interests are sports, outdoor activities, and travel. His passion alongside the family is his football team Tottenham Hotspur.