Scott O'Grady

Scott O'Grady

Keynote Speaker: Former U.S. Air Force Captain; Fighter Pilot Who Survived After Crashing Behind Enemy Lines; Motivational Speaker; Author of "Return With Honor"

Scott O'Grady Biography

Captain Scott O’Grady was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 12, 1965. He moved with his family to Long Beach, California in 1970, then to Ridgewood, New Jersey in 1972, and finally to Spokane, Washington, in 1974. He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1984 and attended the University of Washington for one year before transferring to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona. Captain O’Grady earned a bachelor of science degree (aeronautical) in 1989 and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program, April 1989.

Following college, Captain O’Grady attended the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, from November 1989 to December 1990. He was then assigned to F-16 pilot training at Luke Air Force Base until December 1991 when he began his first operational assignment flying the F-16 at the 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Korea. In April 1993, Captain O’Grady was reassigned to the 526th Fighter Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany, until assuming a position in May 1994 with the 555th Fighter Squadron in Aviano, Italy. In October 1995, he was assigned as an F-16 pilot with the 466th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. In July 1998, he was assigned to a joint survival agency at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington. After 12 years of military service Captain O’Grady entered inactive reserve status in February 2001. Shortly after, he enrolled at Dallas Theological Seminary and graduated with a masters degree in the spring of 2007. Scott also was awarded an honorary doctorate in public service by the University of Portland in Oregon.

Captain O’Grady was helping enforce the NATO no-fly zone policy in the skies over Bosnia when a Soviet-made anti aircraft missile slammed into his F-16. Capt. O’Grady tells his incredible story of how he survived in hostile territory for six days before being rescued by the US Marines in his book, Return With Honor, which spent six weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. He has also published Basher Five-Two, a children’s edition of his original story. His courageous story has also been documented on the Discovery Channel presentation, Behind Enemy Lines. In addition, Scott O’Grady has been featured on CNN’s Voices of the Millennium, and Then and Now, series that focus on the most influential personalities of the past 25 years.

Captain O’Grady has accumulated more than 1,300 military flying hours including over 1,000 in the F-16.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Scott O'Grady and other top speakers and celebrities.

Scott O'Grady Speaking Topics

Leading, Building Teams, and Succeeding through Adversity

Since his return from a six-day, life-and-death ordeal after his F-16 was shot down over Bosnia, Scott O’Grady has helped countless individuals and organizations learn how to adapt, change, and succeed even in the most challenging of circumstances. He has demonstrated how Fortune 500 companies can employ the lessons that helped him survive to build resilient teams, take decisive action, and demonstrate strong leadership. Audiences walk away from O’Grady’s riveting presentations with the knowledge they need to overcome obstacles and succeed, both personally and professionally.

Return With Honor

Scott O'Grady speaks about his incredible true-life struggle to survive in the hostile territory of war-torn Bosnia. Scott O'Grady's story is an inspirational tale of courage, faith and patriotism by an American hero.

Scott O'Grady Videos

Scott O'Grady on CNN: Surviving behind enemy lines
Pilot hopes others can benefit from terrifying ordeal

How do I book Scott O'Grady to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Scott O'Grady for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Scott O'Grady, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Scott O'Grady or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Scott O'Grady for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Scott O'Grady, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Scott O'Grady are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Scott O'Grady, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Scott O'Grady speak about?

Scott O'Grady is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Inspirational, Peak Performance, Astronauts, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Personal Growth, Authors, Military, Christian, Adventure, Veterans, Motivational, Leadership, Overcoming Adversity, Science and Women.

Where does Scott O'Grady travel from?

Scott O'Grady generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Scott O'Grady?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Scott O'Grady for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Scott O'Grady for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Scott O'Grady or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Scott O'Grady is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Inspirational and Peak Performance. The estimated speaking fee range to book Scott O'Grady for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Scott O'Grady generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Rudy Ruettiger, Rocky Bleier and Melissa Stockwell. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Scott O'Grady for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 09/10/2024.

Scott O'Grady Speaking Topics

  • Leading, Building Teams, and Succeeding through Adversity

    Since his return from a six-day, life-and-death ordeal after his F-16 was shot down over Bosnia, Scott O’Grady has helped countless individuals and organizations learn how to adapt, change, and succeed even in the most challenging of circumstances. He has demonstrated how Fortune 500 companies can employ the lessons that helped him survive to build resilient teams, take decisive action, and demonstrate strong leadership. Audiences walk away from O’Grady’s riveting presentations with the knowledge they need to overcome obstacles and succeed, both personally and professionally.

  • Return With Honor

    Scott O'Grady speaks about his incredible true-life struggle to survive in the hostile territory of war-torn Bosnia. Scott O'Grady's story is an inspirational tale of courage, faith and patriotism by an American hero.

Scott O'Grady Videos

Scott O'Grady on CNN: Surviving behind enemy lines
Pilot hopes others can benefit from terrifying ordeal

Scott O'Grady Reviews

  • The work flow was excellent - you guys made my job much easier and it was a pleasure to work with you. We like hiring keynote speakers that have an instant connection with our members – even before they meet. Scott couldn’t have been more perfect! His story has been out there for a time, but our members remembered it well and got the chance to relive almost every detail and moment as Scott re-inspired them with his miraculous tale of survival, acts of courage, and evident devotion to God, family and country. Scott embodies what’s great about our country and what we can all strive to accomplish and become when we prepare, work hard, and stay focused.
    Utah Association of Counties (UAC) - Nov 22 2016

Scott O'Grady News

  • How do I book Scott O'Grady to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Scott O'Grady for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Scott O'Grady, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Scott O'Grady or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Scott O'Grady for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Scott O'Grady, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Scott O'Grady are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Scott O'Grady, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Scott O'Grady speak about?

    Scott O'Grady is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Inspirational, Peak Performance, Astronauts, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Personal Growth, Authors, Military, Christian, Adventure, Veterans, Motivational, Leadership, Overcoming Adversity, Science and Women.
  • Where does Scott O'Grady travel from?

    Scott O'Grady generally travels from Dallas, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Scott O'Grady?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Scott O'Grady for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Scott O'Grady for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Scott O'Grady or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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