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Do you need to hire a trusted expert for a meeting, conference, corporate event, seminar, trade-show, convention, or company workshop?
Here is a list of the top military experts and thought leaders to consider for your event that can deliver a memorable speech and presentation that will inspire, educate, and entertain your audience.
These military speakers can cover such topics leadership, communication, conflict, motivation, adversity, accountability, being resilient, critical thinking, strategy, mindset, dedication, hard work, inspiration, and more.
If you would like to hire any of these speakers or need more suggestions, fill out this form and our agent will respond within two business hours.
Please note, we work with over 5000 experts and thought leaders who may not be listed on our site.
Admiral William McRaven
A 4-star admiral, Admiral William McRaven is a veteran of the US Navy. He has given 37 years of service to the navy and has also served as a Commander of the US Special Operations Command. He is also the author of two bestselling self-improvement books.
Admiral William H. McRaven is a U.S. Navy Four-Star admiral who served in various capacities including the rescue of Captain Phillips and the capture of Saddam Hussein. He was also the commander of the team that took down Osama bin Laden.
Admiral McRaven came to the spotlight as a motivational speaker when his 2014 commencement address at the University of Texas became an online sensation. He has since delivered countless keynotes inspiring audiences through his lessons and experiences.
Chad Williams
Chad Williams’ unique insights on outstanding leadership, grit, teamwork, and drive come from his first-hand experiences as a Navy SEAL. Out of 173 people who started the notoriously tough BUD/S program with him, Chad was just one of thirteen to make it to the end and earn the coveted Navy SEAL trident.
Serving his country with honor, Chad was deployed on SEAL Team One and SEAL Team Seven. He honed the skills, tactics and attention to detail that are essential for our best Warriors. In a final, ironic operation in Iraq, Chad’s team was ambushed in a premeditated attack.
The attack took place in the same location and under the same circumstances as the attack that killed Chad’s mentor, Scott Helvenston. However, Chad and his team were able to overcome the odds and win the gun battle.
Jocko Willink
Popular military motivational speaker, Jocko Willink is a retired Navy SEAL who became an authority on managing stress and effectively leading teams in difficult situations. Willink has received several recognition’s over the two decades of his service.
Jocko served in the SEAL teams for 20 grueling, bloody years- beginning as an lowly enlist and working his way up to a respected SEAL Officer. As the commanding Task Unit Bruiser of SEAL Team 3, he was responsible for leading the charge that brought peace and order back to the chaotic city of Ramadi.
Under his leadership, his task unit was recognized for exceptional performance during the Iraq War. Upon retiring, Willink started a leadership and management solutions firm by the name of Echelon Front.
Deborah James
As the 23rd US Air Force secretary, Deborah James was tasked with leading the 660,000-strong organisation through a time of increased threat from groups such as ISIS and North Korea.
With more than 35 years of experience in leadership roles in both the public and private sector, James was commended for her ability to get results in a gridlocked and politically charged environment. During her tenure, she oversaw a period of downsizing and budget cuts while also preparing the Air Force to meet new challenges in cyberspace.
During her illustrious military career, James was only the second women to lead a military branch. During her last three years in the Obama administration, she was tasked with keeping the nation safe amidst heightened terrorism, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and North Korea’s expanding nuclear weapons program. She did this by reforming acquisition processes, bolstering pilot training, and promoting transparency and innovation.
David Goggins
David Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL and an endurance athlete. Through his sports career, he has gained global recognition. Goggins also holds a Guinness World Record for the highest number of pull-ups within a period of 24 hours.
In 2007, Goggins was diagnosed with a hole in his heart. However, this did not dampen his spirits, and he was running another endurance race shortly after. He ran over 203 miles in the 48-Hour National Championship endurance race, breaking the previous record of 20 miles.
Goggins is considered on of the leading motivational speakers in the world where he shares his insights and passions with his followers on YouTube on how to overcome adversity and become resilient.
JR Martinez
JR Martinez is a US Army veteran, author, motivational speaker, and winner of Season 13 of the popular dance competition, Dancing with the Stars. Martinez’s story is one of courage and survival, and he aims to motivate others through his experiences.
Martinez was severely injured in 2003 when he served as an infantryman in Iraq. Over 30% of his body was severely burned, after which he spent 34 months recovering at the Brooke Army Medical Center. He inspires individuals to tackle adversities head on.
Carey Lohrenz
A retired US Navy veteran, Carey Lohrenz made history by becoming the first female pilot of the F-14 Tomcat Fighter plane. After her retirement, Lohrenz shares her experiences and insights on effective leadership and boosting team performance.
Lohrenz has helped several organizations, including Fortune 100 companies, enhance their productivity by motivating the workforce. Her book, Fearless Leadership, teaches leaders to overcome fear and uncertainty.
Marcus Luttrell
Marcus Luttrell is a retired US Navy SEAL, TV personality, and motivational speaker. Luttrell’s heroics in 2005 during Operation Red Wing became the inspiration for the popular Hollywood motion picture The Lone Survivor.
Luttrell inspires leaders and individuals through his motivational keynotes. He also manages a welfare organization, The Lone Survivor Foundation, which he founded in 2010. The organization helps wounded soldiers and their families.
Jessica Lynch
Jessica Lynch is a US Army veteran motivational speaker. She was a unit supply specialist for the US forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq by American and allied forces. She was also taken as a prisoner of war during the Battle of Nasiriyah when Iraqi forces attacked her convoy.
Lynch was rescued a few days later by the US Special Forces. This became the first successful rescue operation to be carried out since World War II. After recovering from the trauma, Lynch graduated from the University of West Virginia.
Mike Abrashoff
A retired naval commander, Mike Abrashoff is a bestselling author and a motivational speaker. He is credited for transforming the crew of the USS Benfold into a productive team when he was posted as commander at the age of 36.
Abrashoff uses his experience to help government and private organizations reconsider their management practices. Over 1200 hundred organizations, including several Fortune 500 companies, have benefited from his leadership techniques.
Leif Babin
Leif Babin is a retired Navy SEAL, leadership consultant, and co-founder of the leadership and management solutions firm, Echelon Front. Babin carries out various activities for the firm, including leadership development workshops, executive coaching, and motivational keynotes.
He has the experience of leading various high-importance military operations in the Battle of Ramadi during the war in Iraq. Upon returning, he became the lead instructor for fresh graduates from the SEAL training pipeline.
Nicole Malachowski
Nicole Malachowski is a US Airforce veteran who served for 21 years. Having retired as a colonel, she is a combat veteran and the first woman soldier to have piloted the Thunderbird military aircraft.
Malachowski is a leadership and management instructor who has also served as a Fellow and an advisor to the White House. For her services, she has been inducted in the Women in Aviation Hall of Fame. She inspires and motivates others through her authentic spirit and the authority of a seasoned leader.
Rorke Denver
Rorke Denver retired from the military as a training specialist and Navy SEAL Commander. He then went on to become an actor, a TV personality, a bestselling author, and a speaker. He is widely recognized for his roles in the Hollywood motion picture Act of Valor as well as the reality TV series American Grit.
American Grit is a competition show that takes participants through a series of tasks of increasing difficulty. Each team is assigned a military veteran as team leader, which Denver is. He has also written a best-selling book on the Navy SEAL recruitment process for prospective recruits.
Megan Leavey
Megan Leavy is a former US marine and war veteran, who has been awarded with the Purple Heart for her service. She was a K9 handler who served for three years in Iraq with her assigned military dog. Together, they undertook over a hundred missions.
It was during one of these missions that the two were severely injured when enemy soldiers detonated an IED very close to where Leavey was clearing explosive devices. She suffered brain damage along with a ruptured eardrum. Upon recovery, Leavey was discharged and she adopted her service dog Rex.
Patrick Houlahan
As a former F/A-18 Hornet instructor pilot and TopGun graduate, Patrick Houlahan knows a thing or two about leadership. Now, as a highly sought-after motivational keynote Speaker, he teaches others how to build compassionate, mission-driven leaders.
After a 27-year stint in the USMC as an active duty and reserve fighter jet piloted, Patrick had seen it all. From his station in San Deigo, CA, he completed four six-month long deployment – with three of them being to the Western Pacific and one to Al Assad, Iraq. He was even named the instructor of the year before graduating from the United States Navy Post’s graduate school for fighters (a.k.a “Top Gun”).
He coached and mentored more than 500 new aircrew during his time in the military, earning his degree from the United States Marine Corp Command and Staff College. He later went on to get his Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War college and held various positions of authority throughout his illustrious career.
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