Biography

Commander Rorke T. Denver has run every phase of training for the U.S. Navy SEALs and led special-forces missions in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and other international hot spots. He starred in the hit film Act of Valor, which is based on true SEAL adventures. His New York Times bestseller, Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior, takes you inside his personal story and the fascinating, demanding SEAL training program. In his second book Worth Dying For: A Navy SEALs Call to a Nation, Rorke tackles the questions that have emerged about America’s past decade at war–from what makes a hero to why we fight and what it does to us. Rorke was most recently seen on FOX’s American Grit. The series followed 16 of the country’s toughest men and women as they faced a variety of military-grade and survival-themed challenges set in the wilderness.

As assistant officer in charge of BRAVO Platoon at SEAL Team THREE, he was deployed to SOUTHCOM, the Central and South American Area of Operations. His platoon was the “alert” SEAL team for maritime interdiction, hostage rescue, counter-insurgency, and counter-narcotics. As SEAL officer aboard, Denver led his group’s response to a murderous uprising in the Ivory Coast nation of Liberia, launching advanced-force operations, conducting hydrographic beach reconnaissance, and helping to get U.S. Marines safely ashore.

In 2006, Denver was officer in charge of BRAVO Platoon of SEAL Team THREE in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province in one of the most combat-heavy deployments of any regular SEAL team since Vietnam. Stationed in Habbaniya, his team conducted over 200 missions including sniper operations, direct assaults, special reconnaissance, and ground patrols. Denver’s team has been widely credited with propelling the “Tribal Awakening” that helped to neutralize Iraq’s insurgency. Denver was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valorous action in combat.

After returning to the United States, Denver was appointed flag lieutenant to Admiral Joseph Maguire, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare, traveling to Afghanistan and briefing Congress on SEAL operations. In 2009, he became First Phase officer of SEAL Basic Training including Hell Week, then rose to Basic Training officer. He went on to run all phases of training including advanced sniper, hand-to-hand fighting, communications, diving, and language.

Denver is the founder of Ever Onward, a fresh, new brand designed to use Navy SEAL principles to call leaders to take action, to suffer, and to be bold so they can perform at their highest levels. He is a highly-sought after speaker to companies and organizations and provides numerous innovative products and services to help teams and individuals live and perform at higher levels.

Denver is an honor graduate of the United States Army Ranger School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University, where he was an All-American lacrosse player, and captain of the varsity lacrosse team. He earned a Master’s Degree in Global Business Leadership from the University of San Diego.

Highlights:

  • Ran every phase of training for the U.S. Navy SEALs
  • Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University, where he was an All-American lacrosse player and captain of the varsity lacrosse team. He earned a Master’s Degree in Global Business Leadership from the University of San Diego
  • Led special-forces missions in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and other international hot spots
  • Author of Worth Dying For and the New York Times bestseller Damn Few
  • Mentor on FOX’s competition series, American Grit
  • Star of the hit film Act of Valor
  • Founder of Ever Onward, a brand designed to use Navy SEAL principles to call leaders to take action, to suffer, and to be bold so they can perform at their highest levels
  • Uses lessons from training with the SEALs to teach leadership and motivate teams to perform at their highest levels
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Videos

CDR Rorke Denver Highlights

Finding Your Team's Harmonic Gait | Rorke Denver

Rorke Denver on Being a Navy Seal

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Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

Boots on the Ground.

This powerful keynote talks about what it takes to be ready for battle every day. What do the best leaders ask of themselves and of their teams and how do teams operate best? Rorke learns about an organization’s goals and objectives and then customizes his message so that audiences can learn from the front lines of a Navy SEAL commander and put it into action right away.

Sell Like a SEAL.

For every mission, Navy SEALs need to know how to sell themselves and deliverables to their commanders and comrades. The team must have complete buy in to execute the mission successfully. Often times, there are limited resources and SEALs need to rely on their own know-how to get everyone on board. These very same lessons can effectively apply to sales forces trying to get their mission accomplished and land a new customer.

The Pursuit

Every team and individual have goals they want to achieve. Goals are important as a target, but systems, behaviors and execution are what take you there. Sometimes these goals line up with the greater mission at hand, and often they don’t. Rorke takes lessons from being the top ranked Navy SEAL Commander and applies them to everyday life so that audiences can learn how to move ahead together while always honoring each person’s personal contribution. More than just inspiring, these custom messages leave audiences with actionable tips that help them perform and feel better.



BREAKOUTS:

After one of Rorke’s dynamic and customized keynote addresses, audiences can also roll up their sleeves and go deeper into his powerful content. These sessions can be conducted in your typical breakout setting OR at a private campfire.

Calm Under Fire.

What is the top skill the Army taught Commander Denver? Which leadership trait did a SEAL sniper teach on a high mountain mission in Afghanistan? If taken hostage or prisoner, is there a skill you can use to escape your restraints...yes there is!

Acts of Valor.

True stories from the battlefield and the lessons they teach us at work today.

Mindset.

What can you learn from JFK and a baroque English architect about purpose? What did “random acts of instructor violence” teach aspiring Navy SEAL candidates in basic training? Can you steal someone’s physical power with one mindset trick....we will see.

On the Front Lines.

Anything you’ve ever wanted to know about being a Navy SEAL and how it applies to your job.

HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS:

Rorke and his team take over any ballroom and turn it into a mock battlefield!

It’s one thing to think like a SEAL, it’s another to get to act like one. In this hands-on workshop, audiences will get to experience real SEAL training including breaking free of restraints, the secret drill that teaches SEAL snipers how to never forget anything, self-defense and more. Best of all, Rorke takes each of these experiential lessons and makes a direct connection from the battlefield to the board room. Audiences see that the lessons they are learning are more than just fun and games and can actually serve as a catalyst to their own change they want to see.

Booksby Rorke Denver

Damn Few

Worth Dying For: A Navy Seal's Call to a Nation

Blog Posts

How Seth Godin Transforms Publishing for Books—and What Event Pros Can Learn From It

Marketing provocateur Seth Godin reveals his approach of chapters in his books and how event planners can revolutionize content creation using his riff format.

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The Mindset Shift That Transforms Adrenaline Into Leadership Fuel With Theresa Payton

Transform rejection into resilience with proven mindset strategies from the first female White House CIO Theresa Payton.

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Olympic Champion Apolo Ohno’s Blueprint for Success

This week, we had a top keynote speaker, Apolo Ohno, as a guest on The Keynote Curators podcast, where he shared the performance principles that carried him through eight Olympic medals and now guide his success in business and speaking.

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Crisis Management Lessons From 9/11: Why Top Event Leaders Prepare Before the Alarm Sounds

Crisis management begins before alarms sound. Learn how 9/11 lessons translate to event leadership and prevent disasters.

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Four Health Pillars That Transform Business Performance

Learn the four health pillars Olympic champion Apolo Ohno uses to maintain peak performance in business and life when perfection isn't possible.

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Strategic Thinking: Dorie Clark’s Blueprint for The Long Game

Dorie Clark was recently a guest on The Keynote Curators podcast, where she unpacked her revolutionary approach to strategic thinking and long-term success planning

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