
Robert O'Neill
- Co-founder of Special Operators Transition Foundation
- NY Times and London Times Best Selling Author of “THE OPERATOR”
- Over 400 combat missions with SEAL Team Six
- Recipient of two Silver Stars and four Bronze Stars with Valor
What Robert O’Neill's clients say
"Robert did an excellent job and was just awesome. Our attendees LOVED him and gave him two standing rounds. Of course, our group are farmers/ranchers and are very supportive of the military. His message on leadership and how to persevere was also awesome and he does a great job of presenting. He answered questions and everyone loved him. Highly recommend. Of course, now the bar is set for next year!!!"
"For the record, Rob was a huge hit at our party. Everybody really enjoyed his speech, and he was very generous with his time after he finished speaking. He talked to everybody, posed for pictures, had dinner with us, drinks afterwards, etc."
"Rob did an exceptional job! Great presentation and message. He interacted with our employees extremely well. The photo session was great and he spent quite a bit of time with us in the private event. Great guy. If you did not know who he was, he'd be a guy you'd want as a friend!"
"Just wanted to touch base with you on Rob O’Neill. He was beyond amazing. We’ve never had a keynote who has been given a standing ovation. His presentation was interesting, funny, engaging…I could go on and on. Our CFO, who is rarely happy with anything, was blown away by his presentation and said he’s never heard a speaker as good as Rob and that he could have listened to him for hours. In addition, Rob could not have been more gracious or engaging to our staff and attendees. I only wish that I could have spent some time talking to him because I am also from Montana but I wanted to make sure our attendees had access to him. Can you please let him know what a huge hit he was, how excited we are that he was a part of NextLevel and tell him Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
"Rob O’Neill spoke during a dinner event at Builders FirstSource Management Meeting and was a complete hit! Compelling story along with videos. The attendees were captivated. He was gracious enough to spend a lot of time after speaking sharing additional stories with a small group of VIPs. Thanks for being with us, Rob!"
"I had the pleasure of listening to Robert O’Neill at our Leadership Meeting in Dallas, I had read Mr. O’Neill’s book, and was excited to listen to him in person. What an amazing presentation, his ability to describe his decision to join the Navy, his determination not to only serve, but to be elite, and his descriptions of his training and missions were inspiring. Mr. O’Neill was also able to connect his military service to business, this around teamwork, decision-making processes, planning, contingency planning, and executing your objectives. I found the time very enlightening, engaging, and inspiring, I would highly recommend Mr. O’Neill to those seeking a speaker for your Company."
"Our whole team deeply enjoyed Rob’s presentation. We appreciated him mingling with us beforehand, and he appeared to be interested in getting to know the team. His speaking style is so engaging and magnetic. He possesses so much natural charisma and that coupled with the subject matter he presents is really powerful. He does a masterful job of mixing heavy and serious topics with light-hearted jokes and funny anecdotes and stories in-between. He is so far from the average person, and yet he has an uncanny way of connecting to the “average joe”. I did not anticipate the very real and powerful messages along the way around leadership, perseverance, and stress management. The lessons he learned and talked about sat with each one of my teammates. They all referenced the “bag of stress” and the “quit tomorrow” concepts. It could not have been a more perfect message for where we sit as a team today with the things we are facing. The in-depth discussion around the intensity of the training to get to Seal Team 6 really struck home with a lot of people. Most of us sat in awe of what it took for those select few to be where they were just to potentially sacrifice it all for others. I knew it would be a powerful talk, and I knew it would have a huge impact on the team. However, the presentation far exceeded our expectations. It was riveting, and it left us all in deep thought. We also want to send a heartfelt thanks for Rob’s deep service and sacrifice. We don’t take for granted the fact that we have these great American warriors providing a shield of security and freedom for us all each day. So, with deep gratitude, we send our appreciation to him for coming to speak with us."
"If you are looking for a speaker with a direct and compelling message, Robert hits the mark exceptionally well! His unique life experiences, which very few people in the world can tell, will powerfully resonate with the audience. Whether you are a company, or sports team, you will find Rob’s military-based philosophies and tenets directly relatable and applicable to your field. Robert’s presentation at our National Sales Meeting delivered a profound and motivating impact to our sales team as we kicked off a new year."
"Robert O'Neill delivered a powerful, impactful message on teamwork, discipline, and a no quit attitude!"
"Rob totally rocked the event! He's such a unique person with an incredible story, inspiring and also entertaining. Our whole team thoroughly enjoyed this special opportunity to hear him speak, shake his hand and thank him for his dedication to excellence and to our country. Thank you, Rob!!"
"Rob absolutely rocked it! His presentation to our team was inspirational, powerful, emotional, and the feedback I've received from my colleagues has been over the top positive. I am so grateful for what Rob has done for our country and all that he did for my team by sharing his story with us."
"We booked Rob for an annual sales conference, and we were nothing short of disappointed. Rob is a phenomenal speaker; his passion and humor created the perfect engagement. The standing ovation he received is a true testimonial of his story and his service as an American hero."
"Navy Seal Robert O'Neill's keynote speech was an absolute masterpiece. His ability to share his experiences and insights in a relatable and engaging manner was truly remarkable. He captivated the audience from start to finish with his powerful storytelling, humor, and humility. O'Neill's message of teamwork, perseverance, and the importance of pushing oneself beyond perceived limits was both inspiring and thought-provoking. Overall, his keynote speech was a resounding success and left a lasting impact on all in attendance."
"Robert was a fantastic speaker for our event. His speech was well organized, intense, and at times very funny. We cannot say enough good things about Robert. He spent additional time after the speech meeting and taking pictures with members of the audience."
"We booked Rob for an annual sales conference, and we were nothing short of disappointed. Rob is a phenomenal speaker; his passion and humor created the perfect engagement. The standing ovation he received is a true testimonial of his story and his service as an American hero."
Available for
Languages:
- English
Robert O'Neill's 2025 biography
Meet Robert O’Neill
Robert J. O’Neill is one of the most highly decorated combat veterans of our time. He served at SEAL Team Two, SEAL Team Four, and eight years at the legendary SEAL Team Six. Having taken part in and led over 400 combat missions, Rob operated in Liberia, The Balkans, The Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Having been decorated 53 times, his awards include two Silver Stars for gallantry in action against the enemy, four Bronze Stars with Valor to denote heroism against the enemy, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor, three Presidential Unit Commendations and three Combat Action ribbons to name a few.
Some of Rob’s qualifications include Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster, Tandem Tethered Bundle Master, Naval Special Warfare Scout / Sniper, Breacher, Master Naval Parachutist, Master Training Specialist, Diving Supervisor, Range Officer in Charge for Small Arms, Close Quarters Battle, Breaching, Laser System Safety Officer among many others.
Rob took part in the rescue for Operation Red Wings, which extracted the Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell, he was the lead jumper for the rescue operation that saved Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates and he was a Team Leader for Operation Neptune’s Spear, the mission to kill Osama bin Laden.
Rob is co-founder of Special Operators Transition Foundation, specializing in assisting Special Operations Forces veterans with the successful transition from the service into their next great career in corporate America.
Rob is the author of the NY Times and London Times Best Selling Memoir THE OPERATOR: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior.
Rob has been interviewed on Fox News, CNN, CBS, Newsmax and others.
Meet Robert O’Neill
Robert J. O’Neill is one of the most highly decorated combat veterans of our time. He served at SEAL Team Two, SEAL Team Four, and eight years at the legendary SEAL Team Six. Having taken part in and led over 400 combat missions, Rob operated in Liberia, The Balkans, The Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Having been decorated 53 times, his awards include two Silver Stars for gallantry in action against the enemy, four Bronze Stars with Valor to denote heroism against the enemy, a Joint Service Commendation Medal with Valor, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor, three Presidential Unit Commendations and three Combat Action ribbons to name a few.
Some of Rob’s qualifications include Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster, Tandem Tethered Bundle Master, Naval Special Warfare Scout / Sniper, Breacher, Master Naval Parachutist, Master Training Specialist, Diving Supervisor, Range Officer in Charge for Small Arms, Close Quarters Battle, Breaching, Laser System Safety Officer among many others.
Rob took part in the rescue for Operation Red Wings, which extracted the Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell, he was the lead jumper for the rescue operation that saved Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates and he was a Team Leader for Operation Neptune’s Spear, the mission to kill Osama bin Laden.
Rob is co-founder of Special Operators Transition Foundation, specializing in assisting Special Operations Forces veterans with the successful transition from the service into their next great career in corporate America.
Rob is the author of the NY Times and London Times Best Selling Memoir THE OPERATOR: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior.
Rob has been interviewed on Fox News, CNN, CBS, Newsmax and others.
Robert O'Neill's 2025 talks & topics
The Way Forward: Master Life's Toughest Battles and Create Your Lasting Legacy
Learn from the man who had Osama Bin Laden in his sights and led the team that killed him. When Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Robert J. O’Neill was a SEAL Team Six leader, he led extractions under enemy fire, tailed terrorists for days, and snuck onto land to meet with sources. His training taught him to be resourceful and make good decisions no matter the circumstances. Now he shares his lessons from these experiences to show you how to achieve what may seem impossible and become the best version of yourself.
Based on his book The Way Forward: Master Life’s Toughest Battles and Create Your Lasting Legacy, Robert O’Neill offers audiences a deeper look into how to use hard-earned lessons from both his time in combat and his personal life to accomplish their goals, overcome adversity, and discover the hero within you.
Never Quit: The Story of a Life Built on Successful Missions
Rob O’Neill served America as a Navy SEAL, team leader, and senior chief petty officer with the Naval Special Development Group (SEAL Team Six) during several of the most challenging, storied, and clandestine military operations of our time. With this speech, O’Neill shares what he learned during his more than 400 combat missions across four theaters of war. Through his moving and emotional stories, Rob brings to life lessons learned during some of the country’s most headline-stealing conflicts. O’Neill explains to audiences how the best of the military’s best approach strategic planning when mission failure is not an option. Audiences come to appreciate the people who are asked to do the hardest jobs – the warriors, husbands and wives, and family men and women – who they know exist but have never met, and who are focused solely on making their missions successful. Join one of the legends of our nation’s military as he shares his views on the ingredients to a successful mission: the right people, preparedness, decision making under pressure, and, above all, a commitment to never quit.