Major Schaffer is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating from Ohio State University, he joined the Marine Corps and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through Officer Candidates School in 2013. Following The Basic School and the Basic Communications Officer Course, he volunteered for a year-long experience tour with I Marine Expeditionary Force. He was attached to Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, where he served as the Bravo Detachment Officer in Charge and Wire and Data Platoon Commander from 2014 to 2015. Upon completing this assignment, he joined Communications Company, 14th Marine Regiment, serving as Radio Platoon Commander before volunteering to deploy in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2016. During this deployment, he served as a Battle Captain under the Combined Joint Task Force J-4, before being tasked to Erbil, Iraq, as the Current Operations Officer in support of the region’s Special Forces Joint Task Force.
Major Schaffer returned to CONUS in 2017 and joined Combat Logistics Battalion 25 as the Battalion S-6. He served as a Systems Control Watch Officer for Saber Strike 2017 in Latvia, the Communications Officer for the Logistics Combat Element at Integrated Training Exercise 2018 in Twenty-Nine Palms, California, and as Headquarters and Services Company Commander and S-6 in support of 1st Battalion, 25th Marines during the Marine Readiness Exercise at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, in 2019.
In 2019, Major Schaffer graduated from Duke University with a Master of Public Policy, concentrating in National Security. He subsequently joined the 4th Civil Affairs Group as the Group S-6, attending both the Civil Affairs Officer Course and the Civil-Military Operations Planner Officer Course in 2020. He deployed with Marine Special Operations Company-Bravo, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Raider Regiment, to the Mindanao region of the Philippines from 2021 to 2022 as a Civil Affairs Officer. Upon his return, he attended the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Information Operations Course and assumed duties as Headquarters and Services Detachment Commander and Group S-6 at 4th Civil Affairs Group. He served as an Assistant Civil Affairs Team Lead for Resolute Sentinel 2022 in Guatemala, and as Civil Affairs Team Leader and Group S-6 during Naval Engagement Exercise 2023 in Quantico, Virginia.
Major Schaffer then joined Combat Logistics Regiment 45, serving as the Regimental Communications Officer and the Northern Strike Logistics Command Element Communications Lead in 2024. He assumed command of Communications Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 45, in 2024. Major Schaffer is a graduate of the Marine Corps Distance Education Program for both Expeditionary Warfare School and Command and Staff College.
His awards and decorations include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal (2), National Defense Service Medal, Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2), and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (2 mobilizations and bronze hourglass).