The Importance of Central Florida to Our National Defense – Scott E. Manning
Hybrid Meeting – August 3, 2023
Scott Manning is Responsible for providing Operational Analyst support to the defense industry and government. Working as part of a team to maintain an extensive personnel network and deep reach-back into the operational communities across all the joint services, especially with regard to fighter aircraft and Air Operations Center Component Commander planning staff. He provides customers with high-quality Subject Matter Expert (SME) services and analyst support as part of a core BGI skill. He works with a team that sustains strong ties to their respective operational communities as many maintain direct involvement through part-time service in the Guard or Reserve components of the Joint Services. He currently contributes to the development of the F-35 Pilot Training Device Full Mission Simulator system as a pilot and systems engineer. He is also a Distance Learning Professor (Adjunct) for the US Naval War College.
Prior to joining BGI, LLC, he served as a Senior Program Manager at Northrop Grumman for Live Virtual Constructive Integration and Distributed Mission Operations for the United States Pacific Air Forces, United States Air Forces in Europe, Air Combat Command, and the US Mobility Air Force. Before this role, he served as the Vice President of Norwich University’s Applied Research Institutes (NUARI), where he led the largest distributed Cyber Exercise for the United States Financial Sector in 2015; Quantum Dawn 3.
Of most significance, before starting his civilian career, he served 28 years in the United States Air Force and retired with the rank of Colonel. His broad career came to a close as the “First” Professor (Adjunct) of Aerospace Studies at Yale University since 1955. In 2012, he successfully reintegrated any Military component with Yale after a 40-year hiatus. He is a Command Fighter Pilot with over 3,700 hours in the F-16C/CJ, A-10A, AT-38B, and T-38A aircraft and a Combat Veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaigns. He has amassed many awards, including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with “V” Device. Colonel Manning’s distinguished career began in Reserve Officer Training Corps at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, where he earned his commission in the United States Air Force.
During his time of Service, he has served as an instructor pilot in four different aircraft, and an evaluator in two, a supervisor of flying, an executive officer, a flight commander, an operations officer for current operations, a chief of combat operations, a chief of strategy division for the United Kingdom Joint Force Air Component Headquarters (exchange posting), a Director of Operations for both the 77th and 55th Fighter Squadrons, the Commander of the 79th F-16 Fighter Squadron, a Deputy Group Commander for the 20th Maintenance Group, he Commanded the US Air Force’s in Europe Warrior Preparation Center, Commanded the Air Force ROTC program at Norwich University, was the Dean of National Services at Norwich University and led the successful reintegration of the United States Air Force with Yale University.
He holds a Master of Arts in International Relations & Defense Studies from King’s College, University of London, United Kingdom, a Master of Strategic Studies from the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Education from Bowling Green State University, Ohio.
He is married to the former Diane Smeltzer of Bowling Green, Ohio, and they reside in Orlando, Florida. They have two sons and Daughters-in-Law: Cole & Kaylee Manning of Orlando, Florida, and Carter & Candace Manning of Colorado Springs, Colorado.