As we honor those who have served our nation this Veterans Day, we recognize our BigSpeak family members and business partners who have protected our country, like father of two and Sales Associate Max Peck. Veterans Day has been celebrated since the end of World War I, when peace was declared on November 11th, 1918. Today, we express our sincere thanks to all veterans who have put their own lives on the line to defend our freedoms.

Aaron Tucker is a Navy SEAL and acclaimed leadership speaker. With multiple combat tours and experience tracking war criminals and running counter-narcotic operations, he has turned his incredible discipline and acumen towards a career as an entrepreneur, consultant, and presenter.

Thomas Kolditz is a retired Brigadier General with over 30 years of leadership experience, three Master’s degrees, and a Phd. A renowned expert on leading through time of extreme crisis, he is considered a visionary in the field of training and leadership development, providing others with pragmatic, actionable takeaways. 

Vernice “Flygirl” Armour epitomizes gutsiness. As America’s first black female combat pilot, she served two tours of duty as a Marine and acted as diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon. A true trailblazer, she launched her consulting business to help others make bold moves and achieve breakthrough results by Getting Gusty.

Navy SEAL combat veteran Brent Gleeson served on SEAL team 5, completing combat tours in Iraq and various parts of Africa. The bestselling author of multiple books, he is the founder of TakingPoint leadership, a consulting firm that helps teams build high-performing cultures and transform their businesses using the lessons he learned on the battlefield.

Top leadership speaker Mike Abrashoff is a bestselling author and performance expert ideal for organizations looking to ramp up their effectiveness. As the most junior officer in the Pacific Fleet, he was given command of one of the worst performing ships on the sea, the USS Benfold. 12 months later, she was the best ship in the entire Navy. thanks to Mike creating a safe, empowering environment for his crew.

Melissa Stockwell, the first female soldier to lose a limb in combat, received the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Facilitating her recovery through sports, she went on to become a 3 time World Champion in the Paratriathlon, a Paralympic medalist, and the flag bearer for the 2020 Team USA Opening Ceremony. An inspirational speaker, she has shared her story with Fortune 500 companies, government workers, and countless students.

Nichole Malachowski is the first ever female Thunderbird pilot, a former fighter squadron commander, and an inductee into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. A highly authentic, engaging speaker, she draws on her career and personal life to empower others to achieve great things.

Philip Folsom has a unique life story and outlook. On top of being a veteran, he’s also anthropologist, speaker, and CEO who provides clients with experiences as varied as vision quests, Zen archery, and workshops with horses and wolves. Dedicated to building resilience in other veterans, he co-founded an acclaimed PTSD prevention program and has reached over 500,000 people with his in-person events.

Afterburner, Inc. is a team of elite fighter pilots, both current and retired, turned top leadership speakers. Their training sessions have activated employees at over 150 of the Fortune 500, and over 1.7 million business leaders.

Sought-after speaker Michelle Curran spent 13 years as a fighter pilot, and is the 2nd woman in history to fly as the Lead Solo Pilot for the USAF Thunderbirds. Specializing in overcoming fear and taking on self-doubt, she has helped audiences at Microsoft, John Deere, and SpaceX, and has also authored hundreds of articles geared towards helping readers reach peak potential.

Looking to bring a veteran speaker for your upcoming event? Contact BigSpeak Speakers bureau today. Please email info@bigspeak.com to inquire.