A family photo taken on Scotty’s retirement day from the Air Force. From left to right: Seth, Christina, Scotty, Joelyn, Jonathan and Faith.

Scotty (left) and his father building model rockets. Scotty’s interest in all things rocket and aerospace was a result of his father’s interest.

Scotty (10) on a family hike.

The Minuteman III ICBM. Scotty’s current work supports the acquisition and sustainment of Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles. The next ballistic-missile generation is called the ground-based strategic deterrent (GBSD).

Scotty and Joelyn on their wedding day.

Cadets at the Air Force Academy’s chapel. (The chapel is Colorado’s No. 1 man-made tourist attraction.) Scotty included the photo because his real passion is teaching; he taught undergraduate aeronautical, mechanical and systems engineering there and served as the Department of Aeronautics Deputy Head.

The front end of a C-135 specialized research airplane collected atmospheric data to improve the range and accuracy of lasers that knock down theater ballistic missiles. Gathered data was used to determine how far a laser could be shot and to what degree to pre-deform the laser to enable the atmosphere to focus it again. The work supporting this effort was done during the 1990s and early 2000s.

During one of Scotty’s last assignments, he managed people and money for the AF Research Laboratory while stationed at the Pentagon.

Three T-38 supersonic jet trainers.

Four T-37 subsonic jet trainers.