- “Flygirl” is the first African American woman to become an American combat pilot
- After accomplishing her own feats and returning to civilian life, Flygirl has dedicated her life to helping others identify and pursue their dreams
Hall of Fame Speaker | Leadership Firestarter | Legacy-Driven Entrepreneur | Bestselling Author | America’s First Black Female Combat Pilot
For IN-PERSON EVENTS, the exact fee falls within the fee range on this page, unless this is a “Call for Fee.”
For VIRTUAL EVENTS, the fees can vary depending on how the presenter is used (example: virtual keynote, workshop sessions, multiple video messages, etc).
To learn the exact fee, complete the “Check Availability” form or call us (at 973-313-9800), email us at info@eaglestalent.com, or chat with one of our team members on LiveChat.
We look forward to helping you.
Hall of Fame Speaker | Leadership Firestarter | Legacy-Driven Entrepreneur | Bestselling Author | America’s First Black Female Combat Pilot
For IN-PERSON EVENTS, the exact fee falls within the fee range on this page, unless this is a “Call for Fee.”
For VIRTUAL EVENTS, the fees can vary depending on how the presenter is used (example: virtual keynote, workshop sessions, multiple video messages, etc).
To learn the exact fee, complete the “Check Availability” form or call us (at 973-313-9800), email us at info@eaglestalent.com, or chat with one of our team members on LiveChat.
We look forward to helping you.
Combat tests you. Being a beat cop tests you. Life tests you. Three brothers and being the only girl…tests you. Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour has been tested her whole life. A gutsy trailblazer, her resume is an impressive collection of “firsts” including America’s first Black woman combat pilot. She served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine. She was also a diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps. After her military service, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough, The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter. As a speaker, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals.
In 2007, FlyGirl launched VAI Consulting & Training, LLC. Through that work, she helps individuals and organizations make gutsy moves and create breakthrough results by applying her “Zero to BreakthroughTM” Success Model – a mindset that helped to propel her career and kept her safe in air combat. FlyGirl regularly takes her message to premier meetings and conferences worldwide and is a Gutsy Confidence Mentor for elite senior executive Women in Tech.
As her newest business venture, in 2020 FlyGirl started FlyGirl Construction, a General Contracting Firm in the Atlanta, GA area.
As a Black gay woman and single mom, FlyGirl brings vital experience to her role as a member of the Forbes School of Business & Technology Board of Advisors and COMCAST/NBCUniversal Joint Diversity Council.
FlyGirl has two honorary doctorates and has received numerous awards as a pioneering pilot, including honors for her commanding role in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour’s story has been featured in the media including on CNN, MSNBC, The View, FOX News, Oprah Winfrey and many more, along with being a running back for the San Diego Sunfire professional women’s football team and two-time title holder of Camp Pendleton’s Strongest Warrior Competition.
She is currently working on her next book, The Gutsy Move.
HISTORICAL FLIGHT PATH
How did it all start? Vernice was born in Chicago, IL in 1973, and moved to Memphis, TN after her parents divorced when she was three. By the age of four, she knew she wanted to be a police officer that rode a horse downtown. She received her first pony as a gift on the Christmas day following her fourth birthday and her dream quickly started to have a foundation in reality. In 1991, she graduated from John Overton High School for Creative and Performing Arts where she was very active in the music program, class vice president, a member of Mu Alpha Theta (mathematics honor society), and The National Honor Society.
In 1993, the future combat pilot enlisted in the Army Reserves and joined the Army ROTC program while at Middle Tennessee State University. During an Army ROTC career day, the seed of becoming a pilot was planted when Vernice saw the image of a young Black female in an Army flight suit. “Now why didn’t I think of that!” was her first thought!
In June of 1996, after a brief stint as a Nashville Sheriff’s Department correctional officer, Vernice took a break from college to accept an invitation to the Nashville Police Academy. She graduated in December 1996 – and later became the first woman of color on the Nashville Police Department’s motorcycle squad. She graduated from MTSU in December of 1997 with her B.S. in Physical Education: Emphasis in Exercise Science.
With the aviation seed in full bloom, Vernice was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps on December 12, 1998 and on her way to flight school. When Vernice finally earned her wings in July 2001, the ambitious pilot ranked No. 1 out of both her class of 12 and of the last 200 to graduate. She made the Naval Air Station’s prestigious Commodore’s List, received the Academic Achievement Award, was the top graduate in her class, and went on to make history as the Marine Corps’ first African American female pilot.
After flight school, Vernice was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego, CA, piloting the AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter. While there she was Camp Pendleton’s “Female Athlete of the Year” and two-time titleholder in their “Strongest Warrior” Competition.
Deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, Vernice was recognized by the Department of Defense as America’s first African American female combat pilot. Vernice flew above the deserts of Iraq in her missile-equipped attack helicopter, engaging the enemy and scouting the roads from her cockpit, making sure they were safe for her fellow Marines and soldiers on the ground.
Upon leaving the military after the completion of two tours in Iraq, Vernice launched VAI Consulting and Training, LLC. She now resides in Atlanta, GA with her daughter Noah…her gutsiest move yet.
We’ve been trained to follow the rules.
To earn our seats.
To shrink our truth in the name of strategy.
To lead in a way that makes other people comfortable…even when it costs us our voice.
FlyGirl is here to burn that version of leadership down.
It’s not about being louder.
It’s about being undeniably aligned…with who you are and how you show up in the rooms that matter.
Permission to Lead Different™ is an identity-level activation for people who are done checking boxes and ready to lead from power, truth, and presence.
It challenges everything we’ve been taught about leadership–and gives people the power to choose who they want to be as they lead.
Your people will walk away with:
You’ve got people sitting on gold—but it’s buried under fear, permission-seeking, or “not yet.”
And it’s costing you- innovation, opportunities, engagement, even customers.
But this isn’t a development issue. It’s an ownership issue.
You already have the talent. You already have the resources. What you’re missing is activation. That’s exactly what FlyGirl does.
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour brings real-world urgency, unshakable presence, and a message your people can’t un-hear. She cuts through performance posturing, dismantles limiting beliefs, and replaces ‘safe leadership’ with self-led power.
OWN YOUR LEADERSHIP™ isn’t a motivational moment. It’s a leadership shift—one your people will feel, live, and act on long after the applause ends.
Why This Keynote Now:
You’re not just managing a business. You’re managing energy, culture, identity—and the silent cost of untapped leadership potential.
Right now, you’re seeing:
What This Keynote Delivers:
OWN YOUR LEADERSHIP™ is the keynote that ends the waiting game.
Your people will walk away with:
A new standard for what leadership looks like—from wherever they are, title or not
Because power isn’t granted. It’s claimed.
In high-stakes environments…combat zones, hospital floors, sales territories…success isn’t about waiting for the perfect plan. It’s about bold execution, fast decisions, and teams who are locked in and ready to move.
This keynote is a high-octane call to action for teams (and their leaders) who are done playing it safe and are ready to operate at full throttle. With battlefield-tested strategies, unfiltered truth, and a shot of adrenaline, FlyGirl delivers the tools your people need to stop circling the mission…and start crushing it.
Fueled by her trademark energy, unexpected humor, and maverick mindset, FlyGirl brings the heat from the stage and leaves no room for passive listening. She’ll challenge, charge up, and mobilize your people to align fast, act with purpose, and engage like their impact depends on it…because it does.
Whether they’re closing deals, saving lives, or driving performance, one thing is clear: They don’t need a runway. They just need the mission…and the guts to engage.
Your people will walk away with:
“FlyGirl did an incredible job driving home her message. She’s such a natural on stage and her stories resonated across our audience. From those who needed to be told to “GET GUTSY!” to those who were brought to tears listening to her stories of combat, our employees most certainly left the event last Thursday feeling hyped on FlyGirl and energized to engage.”
“I can’t thank you enough for joining our Senior Leadership Forum and sharing your incredible energy with us! When I reflect on your messages – and there were so many great ones – what really stood out for me – especially given the past year – is ‘Acknowledge the obstacles – do not give them power.’ Pause, be curious and have the courage to overcome those obstacles, without letting them overtake you. It’s a clear, simple and relevant call to action as we continue to live in uncertain times. I was also impressed by your authenticity; despite being online, you created an experience that connected us all — and left us inspired and motivated.”
“You are engaging, thoughtful, funny and genuine. Immediately following our virtual session focused on how to actively transform a company, culture and country; C-level executives were raving about how they felt engaged the entire time and felt like they walked away with specific actionable items. The level of passion and customization of your message targeting their specific challenges and leadership level, were a pleasant surprise for many.”
“You have been beyond an inspiration! You are so engaging, motivational, unique, and powerful. We all felt your energy through the screen.”
“Your energy and message started the event off on such a high note, and we are so grateful for that! The attendees felt so empowered and motivated after listening to your story—they definitely feel gutsy now!”
“The audience was absorbed by your stories of grit, determination and your lessons learned; you clearly connected with every individual as I could see how engaged people were…thank you for demonstrating that we can make dreams happen and seize the joy that awaits us in this life adventure.”
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