Veterans inspire us every day with their courage, commitment, and leadership—lessons we celebrate not only on Veterans Day but year-round.

We also honor one of our own, Max Peck, a valued BigSpeak team member and proud veteran.

Below are seven keynote speakers who turn battlefield experience into lessons that empower teams, drive performance, and inspire leadership.

Thomas A. Kolditz
Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and leadership scholar, Thomas Kolditz developed the concept of in extremis leadership—leading through life and death situations. He leverages his military and academic experience to show organizations how to build trust, courage and confident leadership in high-stakes environments.

Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour
The first African-American female combat pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps, Vernice Armour inspires audiences to break barriers and embrace bold action. Her keynotes focus on resilience, innovation and leading with purpose, helping teams tackle challenges with clarity and confidence.

Carey Lohrenz
One of the early female fighter pilots qualified to fly the F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy, Carey Lohrenz shares leadership lessons from high-pressure cockpits. She helps teams make rapid decisions, build trust and perform when the margin for error is zero.

Anthony “AB” Bourke
Former F?16 fighter pilot Anthony “AB” Bourke logged over 3,000 flight hours and flew international missions before building a successful business career, including growing a start?up from $500K to $65M in three years. His keynotes draw parallels between aviation and business execution, focusing on precision, teamwork, and performing under pressure.

Nicole Malachowski
Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and the first woman pilot to fly with the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, Nicole Malachowski brings elite performance, barrier-breaking, and resilience to the stage. Her story of combat aviation, squadron leadership and overcoming personal adversity inspires teams to lead with courage and navigate change with strength.

Mike Abrashoff
Former U.S. Navy Commander of the destroyer USS Benfold and New York Times bestselling author of It’s Your Ship, Mike Abrashoff took a struggling ship and, within a year, transformed it into the best-performing ship in the Pacific Fleet using the same crew. His keynote emphasises leadership, culture, empowerment and accountability.

John Foley
Former Lead Solo Pilot of the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and Sloan Fellow at Stanford, John Foley delivers high?performance leadership messages grounded in precision, trust, and teamwork. His talks connect elite aviation experiences to building disciplined, effective, and resilient teams in business.

Inspire your team with the leadership lessons of veteran speakers. Email info@bigspeak.com to inquire about booking today.