Des Powell served in the Parachute Regiment as a sergeant major before spending twenty years in the SAS at the heart of Counter Terrorism and Special Projects teams. A former PT instructor in 1 PARA, he became the Unarmed Combat and Fitness instructor for B Squadron, and pioneered HALO, HAHO and other covert airborne entry techniques. He was the second-in-command of the Bravo Three Zero patrol in 1991.
Des is the author, with Damien Lewis, of the bestselling book on that operation, Bravo Three Zero, published by Quercus. He is now working on a new project, on the rigours of SAS selection.