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Liz McConaghy

Former RAF Chinook Crewman, Author, Woman In Defence Award Winner 2023, Motivational Speaker
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About

Gender: Female
Languages: English
Travels from: United Kingdom

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Biography Highlights

Liz McConaghy was the longest serving female crewman on the Royal Air Force Chinook Fleet spanning a 17 year career flying on the aircraft.

Biography

Meet Liz McConaghy

Originally from a small town in Co. Down Northern Ireland she attended RAF Cranwell on her 19th birthday to begin her exciting career thereafter on Chinook Helicopters.

She was the youngest aircrew to deploy to Iraq aged just 21 and also the only female crewman on the Chinook wing for 4 years, making her story completely unique.

Her career saw her amass 2 deployments to Iraq and 10 deployments to Helmand Afghanistan in support of Operation Herrick which gave her an insightful and very personal perspective on war.

Upon leaving the RAF in 2019 Liz slowly unravelled after a series of traumatic events which in turn led to her trying to end her life in Aug 2020.

After entering the Veterans Mental Health care system Liz began writing a cathartic autobiography to help her process the past. Chinook Crew ‘Chick’ was released in Sept 2022 and went to Amazon Bestseller within 3 weeks. It is an honest and humorous account of her ‘best of times and worst of times’ and how her experiences flying on the Chinook have changed and moulded her into the woman she has become.

Now booked as a popular motivational and inspirational speaker, Liz McConaghy shares her heartfelt stories of building resilience and battling mental health in the RAF. With an emphasis on the effectiveness of team work and the power of resilience, Liz demonstrates how you can turn adversity into positivity, even in the darkest of times.

Liz is an ambassador for mental health and specifically PTSD with Veterans, she stands as an example that PTSD does not have to be your identity, it can simply be a chapter of your life.

Videos

Topics

Unlocking Success Through Resilience

Liz McConaghy’s motivational talks for businesses are designed to inspire and empower your team to overcome challenges and achieve new heights of success. With her unique journey as the longest-serving female crewman in the Royal Air Force Chinook Fleet, Liz brings invaluable lessons in resilience, leadership, and effective teamwork.

By booking Liz for your business event, you can expect:

  • Resilience: Liz’s story of surviving and thriving after traumatic experiences offers valuable insights into building resilience, enabling your team to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change.
  • Leadership: Liz’s experiences as a trailblazing female in a male-dominated field provide powerful lessons in leadership, encouraging your team to take charge and lead by example.
  • Team Building: Learn how to foster a collaborative and supportive team environment, as Liz shares her experiences of working in high-stress situations where trust and cooperation are essential.

Inspiring the Leaders of Tomorrow

Liz McConaghy’s motivational talks for schools are not only educational but also deeply inspiring. She connects with students on a personal level, sharing her journey from a small town in Co. Down, Northern Ireland, to becoming a history-making Chinook crew member.

When you book Liz for your school event, your students will benefit from:

  • Resilience and Determination: Liz’s story serves as a powerful example of determination and resilience, motivating students to pursue their dreams, overcome obstacles, and never give up.
  • Empowering Young Women: Liz’s journey as the only female crewman on the Chinook wing is an empowering message to young girls that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.
  • Career Insights: Gain valuable insights into career opportunities and life beyond the classroom as Liz provides students with a real-world perspective on different professions and life choices.

Inspiring Positive Change

Liz McConaghy’s motivational talks for charities are a source of inspiration and motivation, designed to help you raise awareness and funds for your cause. Liz’s story of survival, recovery, and transformation is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to overcome adversity.

When you book Liz for your charity event, you can expect:

  • Increased Engagement: Liz’s compelling narrative captivates audiences, increasing engagement and support for your charity’s mission.
  • Raising Funds: Motivate donors to contribute to your cause by sharing Liz’s journey from adversity to advocacy, demonstrating the impact of charitable donations on individuals in need.
  • Advocacy and Awareness: Liz’s commitment to mental health and PTSD advocacy can help raise awareness for your charity’s cause and encourage active involvement from supporters.

Books

Chinook Crew 'Chick': Highs and Lows of Forces Life from the Longest Serving Female RAF Chinook Force Crewmember

Liz McConaghy, from a small town in County Down, spent a total of seventeen years flying with the RAF’s Chinook Fleet. Aged just 21, she was the youngest aircrew member to deploy to Iraq and was also the only female ‘crewman’ on the Chinook wing for four years. In her astounding career Liz McConaghy completed two deployments to Iraq followed by ten deployments to Helmand province in Afghanistan in support of the enduring Operation Herrick campaign. Liz’s inspiringly honest story reveals the highs and lows that she witnessed at war, and the cost that came with that both, physically and mentally for those involved. During her deployments, she survived not only a near fatal wire strike onboard her CH47, but numerous enemy fire ‘contacts’ defending her crew by returning fire from both the M134 ‘Minigun’ and M60 weapons entrusted to her to operate. Her biggest honour of all her duties, however, was serving on the Medical Emergency Response Team, or MERT, flying ambulance as it was more commonly known. This involved recovering wounded soldiers from the battlefield, often under fire, and witnessing them both die and indeed come back to life at her feet in the cabin of her Chinook. Liz saw Camp Bastion grow from a barbed wire fence surrounding an area of tents in the sand to the huge Operating Base it became. She was also on the last 1310 Flight deployment there as the British forces withdrew 10 years later handing it back to the Afghan National Army. Very few Chinook crew members, if any, spanned the length of time deployed as Liz McConaghy did. This is a genuinely unique tale that only Liz could tell, which ends with her battling the memories that haunted her, long after she had left the battlefield. Her own war within took her to the point of suicide once she had left the service. Her survival from both the battles in foreign lands and in her own head led her to begin telling her story, in the hope she can help others win their wars.
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Speaker Bureaus and Talent Agencies

Liz McConaghy is available to book via these agencies
Recommended
Noel Gay
Speaking Agency
Speakers Associates
Speaking Agency

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Buy the book

Chinook Crew 'Chick': Highs and Lows of Forces Life from the Longest Serving Female RAF Chinook Force Crewmember

Liz McConaghy, from a small town in County Down, spent a total of seventeen years flying with the RAF’s Chinook Fleet. Aged just 21, she was the youngest aircrew member to deploy to Iraq and was also the only female ‘crewman’ on the Chinook wing for four years. In her astounding career Liz McConaghy completed two deployments to Iraq followed by ten deployments to Helmand province in Afghanistan in support of the enduring Operation Herrick campaign. Liz’s inspiringly honest story reveals the highs and lows that she witnessed at war, and the cost that came with that both, physically and mentally for those involved. During her deployments, she survived not only a near fatal wire strike onboard her CH47, but numerous enemy fire ‘contacts’ defending her crew by returning fire from both the M134 ‘Minigun’ and M60 weapons entrusted to her to operate. Her biggest honour of all her duties, however, was serving on the Medical Emergency Response Team, or MERT, flying ambulance as it was more commonly known. This involved recovering wounded soldiers from the battlefield, often under fire, and witnessing them both die and indeed come back to life at her feet in the cabin of her Chinook. Liz saw Camp Bastion grow from a barbed wire fence surrounding an area of tents in the sand to the huge Operating Base it became. She was also on the last 1310 Flight deployment there as the British forces withdrew 10 years later handing it back to the Afghan National Army. Very few Chinook crew members, if any, spanned the length of time deployed as Liz McConaghy did. This is a genuinely unique tale that only Liz could tell, which ends with her battling the memories that haunted her, long after she had left the battlefield. Her own war within took her to the point of suicide once she had left the service. Her survival from both the battles in foreign lands and in her own head led her to begin telling her story, in the hope she can help others win their wars.