Introduction

Scotty Smiley, a Ranger and combat-diver qualified infantryman, was the Army’s first active-duty, blind officer. On April 6, 2005, he lost use of both eyes when a suicide car bomber blew himself up thirty meters in front of Scotty’s Stryker vehicle.  Since that day, Scotty has surfed in Hawaii, skied in Vail, skydived, climbed Mount Rainier, completed several triathlons, and graduated from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business with his MBA.  The Army Times named Scotty its Soldier of the Year in 2007 and in 2008 he won an ESPY as the Best Outdoor Athlete. Scotty, a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, recently taught the core course in leadership at West Point.  He then commanded the Warrior Transition Unit at West Point’s Keller Army Medical Center caring for soldiers across the New York area.  Captain Smiley was recently named a recipient of the Army’s prestigious MacArthur Leadership Award and currently holds an honorary PhD from Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, NY. He is the author of the newly released book Hope Unseen. He has appeared on CBS, Fox News, CNN and several radio stations in NYC. After Scotty finished the Captain Career Course in Ft. Benning, GA, he accepted a post in the ROTC Program at Gonzaga University.

Scotty and his wife Tiffany are both from Pasco, Washington where Scotty captained the Pasco High School Bulldogs to a Class 4A State Football Championship.

Tiffany Elliott Smiley grew up in Pasco, Washington as an athlete on the soccer field and the basketball court. She played college soccer at Columbia Basin College and won a state college championship. After two years at CBC, Tiffany moved on to Whitworth where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing 2003. In December of that same year, she married her high school sweetheart, Scotty Smiley, and moved with him to Ft. Lewis, WA. Just fifteen months later, Tiffany Smiley received the heartbreaking news that her husband had been badly injured in Iraq.  Within a few weeks, final confirmation that he would never see again changed her life forever.  But Tiffany never blinked. She put her head down, committed herself to the man she loves, set her own dreams aside, and moved forward. Her dedication, selflessness, and optimism are the stuff true leaders are made of.  She is a shining example of a woman who has endured the crushing hammer of adversity and emerged triumphant. 

Tiffany and Scotty now live in Spokane, WA with their sons Grady, Graham and Baylor.

Experience

Scotty and Tiffany both have significant speaking experience in the corporate and public sectors. Their schedule is limited, so inquire as soon as possible for additional information, pricing, and availability. More information about the booking procedures and media photos can be found on our Booking Information page.