Scott Rutter

Lieutenant Colonel Scott E. Rutter (USA, Ret.) is a combat commander recognized for his leadership during the wars in Iraq. Commissioned in the Infantry, Rutter served for 20 years, beginning as a rifle platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division and culminating as battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division during combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His assignments included Air Assault, Light, and Mechanized roles across the Desert, the Pacific, and the Continental United States, with operational deployments to Saudi Arabia, Korea, Kuwait, and Iraq. Rutter also served as a senior intelligence officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency.

During Operation Desert Storm, Rutter commanded C Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry in the 1st Infantry Division and received the Bronze Star for Valor. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, he led the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry in the 3rd Infantry Division during the initial assault into Iraq and the advance to Baghdad. A soldier in his attached engineer unit, Sergeant First Class Paul Smith, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Rutter received the Silver Star for gallantry in action as battalion commander during a hasty attack in As Samawah.

After his military career, Rutter contributed to military media and the defense industry. He served as a FOX News Channel war correspondent during key events in Iraq, including the Battle of Fallujah, and held leadership roles such as vice-chairman for Vets for Victory and president of the 7th Infantry Regiment Association. In the defense sector, Rutter was senior director of mounted maneuver programs for U.S. Combat Systems at BAE Systems, overseeing a business area that included U.S. and international defense programs. He has lectured at institutions including University of Pennsylvania, Middle East Forum, University of California at Berkeley, Purdue University, Tulane University, Ohio University, and Gonzaga University.

Rutter is the founder and president of Valor Network, Inc., a service-disabled veteran-owned telemedicine business providing teleradiology to hospitals in the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. He serves on the board of directors and as treasurer for TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, and is active in raising awareness about issues facing servicemembers and veterans. Rutter was named a distinguished alumnus by Campbell University.

Rutter co-authored "Damn Fine Soldiers: The Epic Story of Task Force 2-7 Infantry and the 21-Day Attack to Baghdad That Changed Modern Warfare" with Col. Matthew Paul. The book provides a firsthand account of Task Force 2-7 Infantry's advance during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Accompanying the book is "The Debrief: Stories from Damn Fine Soldiers," a documentary podcast series sharing untold stories from the campaign. Through his work in military leadership, defense industry, veteran advocacy, and military media, Rutter continues to contribute to the national conversation on military operations and veteran affairs.