Dan Kisling was born on February 20, 1971, in Joplin, Missouri. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve on January 16, 1992, and went on active duty to begin basic training on July 1, 1992. Pvt Kisling completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in September 1992, and then attended Advanced Individual Training as a Power Generator Equipment Repairer at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, from September to December 1992. He served as a power generator equipment mechanic with the 335th Medical Company of the U.S. Army Reserve at Joplin, Missouri, until going on active duty with the U.S. Army on June 28, 1993. After going on active duty he attended Advanced Individual Training as a UH-60 Blackhawk Tactical Transport Helicopter Mechanic at Fort Eustis, Virginia, from June to October 1993, followed by service as a UH-60 crew chief with Company B, 2d Battalion of the 82nd Aviation Regiment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from October 1993 to December 1998. Sgt Kisling next served as an MH-60 crew chief with Company F, 1st Battalion of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from December 1998 to September 1999, and then with Company D, 1st Battalion of the 160th from September 1999 until he was killed in the crash of an MH-60 during a training mission in Afghanistan on January 30, 2003. Dan Kisling was buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Neosho, Missouri.

Soldier's Creed:

I am an American Soldier.

I am a warrior and a member of a team.

I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.

I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.