Scotty Smiley

Major (Retired) Scotty Smiley became the first blind active-duty officer in military history.

Expert on

  • Inspirational
  • Adventurers
  • Teamwork / Teambuilding
  • Military
  • Adversity

Fee Range

$15,000–$30,000

Travels from

WA, US

Biography

Major (Retired) Scotty Smiley became the first blind active-duty officer in military history following a face-to-face confrontation with a suicide car bomber in Iraq in 2005. After his injury, Scotty’s faith led him to forgive his attacker and inspired him to rebuild his life while continuing to serve his country in the U.S. Army.

A West Point graduate, he returned there to teach after he earned an MBA from Duke University. He was named the Army Times “Soldier of the Year” and won an ESPY award for “Best Outdoor Athlete.” He is the recipient of a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and the Army’s prestigious MacArthur Leadership Award. Following a position in the Gonzaga University ROTC Department, Scotty retired from the military in 2015.

Scotty wrote his book Hope Unseen about his journey through overcoming adversity and now travels the country sharing his message of perseverance, courage, and hope. Ever the adventurer, after the loss of his eyesight he has learned to surf, gone skydiving, climbed Mt. Denali, and became an Ironman. Scotty currently works as an investment banker at Drexel Hamilton and is a regular guest on news networks such as NBC, CBS, and Fox. He is married to his high school sweetheart Tiffany. The couple lives in their hometown of Pasco, Washington with sons Grady, Graham, and Baylor.

Thriving and Overcoming the Most Extreme Obstacles

As a West Point graduate, Scotty Smiley had nothing but the highest expectations for himself and his military career. He had a new wife and was quickly establishing himself in the Army as a strong leader. He deployed to Iraq in 2005 when all those dreams went completely black. A suicide bomber decided to blow himself up 50 yards in front of Smiley, severely injuring and blinding him for the rest of his life. He fought through depression, hopelessness and tragedy to become the first blind active duty officer in the military, an author, veteran advocate, IronMan and avid adventurer. In his inspiring and honest presentation, he will move audiences with his incredible story of triumph and hope for overcoming even life’s cruelest tragedies and obstacles.

Power of Teamwork

Scotty Smiley found himself helpless, blind and barely alive when he woke up in Walter Reed Medical Center after getting his eyes blown up by a suicide car bomber while serving in Iraq. He was once an accomplished graduate of West Point, and a leader in the Army, and he now found himself completely dependent on his wife, medical team and those around him to do even the simplest tasks. Smiley learned quickly that if he wanted to get his life back, he would need to work with other people and support other people. Through the power of teamwork, he has been able to continue as an officer in the Army, write a book, become an investment banker, climb mountains, go surfing and complete an IronMan. In his speech, he will highlight how teamwork is the key to not only getting further in life and accomplishing our goals, but also living a happier life. Audiences will be inspired to work with and support those around them, regardless of the obstacles.

Hope Unseen

The definition of hope is “to expect with confidence,” but what do you do when you’ve lost confidence in everything? When you’ve watched your dreams go up in smoke and when you start to question the God you’ve built your life around? As Scotty Smiley lay in his hospital bed in Washington, D.C. after being severely wounded by a suicide bomber while serving in Iraq, he was drowning in despair. All his plans about returning home to his beautiful wife, starting a family and building a career in the military seemed completely dead, and he began to wonder if death would’ve been a better ending to his story. Slowly God showed Smiley that His current plan was far better than the one he’d had for himself. He taught Smiley to expect with confidence that God was working and that He was good. Smiley was able to go on to become the first blind active duty officer in the Army, write a book, have three beautiful sons and pursue adventures all over the world. In his encouraging and inspiring presentation he will tell his incredible story of faith, hope and the love that saw him through.