Major Chris Hunter QGM

The Hurt Locker's real-life star, Major Chris Hunter QGM had 'the world's most dangerous job, in the world's most dangerous place'. As the British Army's most experienced counter-terrorist bomb disposal specialist in Iraq, he risked his life on a daily basis. So effective was he at defusing the crude, unstable but deadly devices, that terrorists on both sides of the conflict, Sunnis and Shi'ites, put a price on Chris' head. Quite apart from the danger of defusing the bombs, just getting to them was a risk, as Chris was a prime target for snipers. Chris joined the British Army as part of the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) at sixteen, where he encountered the perceived stigma and undervaluation of the logistics function. During his career he deployed to a number of operational theatres, including The Balkans, Northern Ireland, Colombia, Afghanistan and Iraq, and for his actions during his Iraq tour, he was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal. Throughout his dangerous and dramatic military career, Chris has encountered situations where a highly valued and effective logistical operation could have saved him from extreme personal danger and even turned around the entire execution and perhaps the final result of some of history’s most well-known military operations. Chris rounded off his military career as a senior intelligence analyst at the Ministry of Defence. At the time of the London suicide bombings, he was seconded to COBRA, the Cabinet Office's emergency response committee. Chris illustrates a gruelling journey of bravery, strength, leadership and skill where every decision made during his time in Iraq could have been his last.