1999 IDFY Conference Keynote Speaker

Scott O'Grady

American Hero Scott O'Grady was the 1999 IDFY keynote speaker whose topic was Return With Honor.  Scott O'Grady spoke about his incredible true-life struggle to survive in the hostile territory of war-torn Bosnia.   His story is an inspirational tale of courage, faith and patriotism by an American hero.

In June of 1995, U.S. Air Force Captain, Scott O'Grady, was helping enforce the NATO no-fly zone in the skies over Bosnia when a Soviet-made anti-aircraft missile slammed into his F-16.  Captain O'Grady's presentations focus on the story of how he managed to live through the missile impact, the techniques he used to survive in a barren and hostile landscape for six days, and the real story behind the daring rescue mission carried out by the U.S. Marines that saved his life.

Before transferring to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona, Scott O'Grady attended the University of Washington for one year.  He earned a Bachelor's of Science degree (Aeronautical) in 1989 and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Program, April, 1989.

Captain O'Grady attended the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program and was then assigned to F-16 pilot training at Luke AFB 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, 1992, 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 AFB, Utah. .In July, 1998 he began his current assignment at Fairchild AFB, Spokane Washington, with the Joint Survival Agency as an instructor.

Captain O'Grady has accumulated more than 1,300 flying hours in T-37, T-38 and F-16 aircraft, including 1000 in the F-16. .Return With Honor spent six weeks on The New York Times best seller list.  Scott O'Grady's children's book, Basher Five-Two, was published in 1997.  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, a series of segments focusing on the most influential personalities of the 20th century.

The IDFY conference is sponsored by the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office and Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.  It is the only program of its kind in the state of Louisiana.  Currently there are over 4,000 middle and high school students enrolled in IDFY.

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