Flight Lieutenant John Nichol
Former RAF Tornado Pilot
The first the world saw of RAF navigator Flight Lieutenant John Nichol was as a tortured Gulf War British prisoner of war, beaten and humiliated by Iraqis. The famous television appearances which John and his fellow POW's were forced to make were flashed around the world and became an enduring symbol of the first Gulf war.
"An ordinary guy who just happened to find himself in extraordinary circumstances".
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After the Gulf War, John's military career took him on active service to the Falkland Islands and to Bosnia as part of the UN peacekeeping mission. He left the RAF in 1996 to pursue a career as a broadcaster and writer. He has written for The Times, The Observer and The Mail On Sunday and published numerous books. He has been a consultant and reporter for Newsnight, Breakfast News, ITN, World in Action and Cutting Edge. He devised and presented 2 series of Survivors, interviewing newsmakers who have been through life changing experiences. He is a regular speaker and host at corporate conferences, management seminars, company training courses, and after-dinner events.
WHAT he OFFERS YOU
John's message is one of optimism, inspiration and personal motivation. His personal triumph lies in having discovered his potential to cope with extremes and achieve goals way beyond his perceived horizons. John's account of what happened takes his audience from the highly organised training and teamwork of an RAF jet squadron to the isolation of being shot down and held in solitary confinement. Partly as a result of his own outgoing personality, partly as a result of the experience itself, John is now able to present a fascinating insight into what happens when our innermost reserves are tested by external demands.