Scotty Smiley

About Scotty Smiley

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 at 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 CEO of Bellator Asset Management LLC. He is married to his high school sweetheart Tiffany. The couple lives in their hometown of Pasco, Washington with sons Grady, Graham, and Baylor.

Experience

1. Speaker

   Washington Speakers Bureau

   Aug 2017 — Present · Richland/Kennewick/Pasco, WA, US

Education

• United States Military Academy at West Point

  Bachelor's of Science, Engineering Management

  2000 — 2003

• Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business Administration and Management, General

  2007 — 2009