Chris Stricklin | Speaker · Author

Chris Stricklin ejecting from his F-16 Thunderbird at Mountain Home AFB

0.8 Seconds
before
impact

The Story

Survival Demands
an Obligation

"What do you owe the second chance you were never promised?"

Flying Thunderbird Six at the "Gunfighter Skies" airshow at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Chris commanded his F-16 to the very edge of its envelope, rolled the jet away from the crowd, and ejected one hundred and forty feet above the ground, 0.8 seconds before impact. One of the most photographed and documented ejections in aviation history. The aircraft was destroyed. The pilot walked away.

He has spent every day since answering one question: What do you owe the second chance you were never promised? That answer is what he calls a survivor's obligation: the responsibility to live with intention, lead with humility, and pour everything learned in the cockpit back into the people and organizations he serves.

That conviction became a keynote, a methodology, and a bestselling book: Survivor's Obligation: Navigating an Intentional Life. Then an avenue for healing: The Tomorrows I Almost Lost.

See the Keynotes

Speaking Topics

Keynotes That
Move Organizations

Chris has delivered transformational keynotes to more than 100,000 professionals across Fortune 500 companies, military organizations, and leadership conferences. Every engagement is customized, never a canned presentation.

Survivor's Obligation

The most documented ejection in Air Force history, told first-hand, and the leadership philosophy it forged. Your audience will never look at "a bad day at the office" the same way again.

The Thunderbird Way

The precision, trust, and radical accountability that define the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and how those same principles unlock elite team performance in any organization.

#LiveIntentionally

A practical framework for defining your priorities, leading with purpose, and closing the gap between the life you're living and the life you intended. Backed by the downloadable Intentional Life Checklist.

Safety as a Mindset

Safety isn't a program; it's a culture. Drawing from the Air Force's world-class investigative process, Chris shows how organizations can build a mindset that prevents the preventable.

Dynamic Followership

The secret of great leaders is knowing when to follow. Chris unpacks the art of followership, the missing ingredient in leadership development, and how to cultivate it at every level.

Leading Through Change

From commanding a 7,000-person Air Force organization to navigating Fortune 500 transformations, Chris brings combat-tested strategies for leading people through uncertainty and disruption.

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The Book

Survivor's Obligation:
Navigating an Intentional Life

A fighter pilot who survived an unsurvivable ejection. A special operations leader who survived a rare, often fatal cancer. Chris Stricklin and Joel Neeb share their stories for the first time together.

Two men. Two near-death experiences. One shared conviction: surviving is just the beginning of the obligation.

Their acclaimed book has inspired thousands to reexamine how they define success, spend their time, and lead their lives: with urgency, intention, and gratitude.

Order on Amazon Free Checklist ↓

Download the #LiveIntentionally Checklist, Free

Impact by the Numbers

Trusted by Leaders Worldwide

100K+

Professionals reached through
keynotes & workshops

Years of decorated military
service & leadership

$840B

In Air Force resources managed
at Pentagon level

★★★★★

"Chris's keynote was unlike anything we'd seen at our leadership summit. The ejection story alone commands total attention; the framework he builds from it is what our people are still talking about months later."

Chief People Officer, Fortune 500 Company

★★★★★

"The Thunderbird Way session fundamentally shifted how our executive team thinks about trust and accountability. Chris doesn't just tell stories; he equips you with tools you can use the next morning."

CEO, Global Technology Firm

★★★★★

"We've had many speakers over the years. Chris is in a category of his own. The combination of genuine humility, extraordinary experience, and actionable insight is rare."

VP of Talent Development, Healthcare Organization

★★★★★

"Our team came in skeptical of 'leadership speakers.' They left with a signed copy of the book and a genuine shift in mindset. Measurable ROI from a keynote is rare. Chris delivered it."

Director, National Association Conference

You've seen
the picture.
Now hear the story.

Survival Demands
an Obligation

Watch It Happen