Rear Admiral Mark A. Schafer, a native of New Hartford, New York, graduated in 1994 from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned into the Navy. He graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2009 with a Master of Business Administration.

As a naval special warfare officer, he has led Navy and joint special operations teams globally.

As a junior officer, he served with SEAL Team TWO, SEAL Team FOUR, and Naval Special Warfare Development Group. During these tours, he deployed to Eastern Europe, South America, the Middle East, and South Asia.

He served as the commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron THREE, Naval Special Warfare’s Basic Training Command and as the commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group TWO.

His staff assignments include three tours at the Joint Special Operations Command as an operations planner, an interagency task force director and the director of operations.

Schafer’s first flag officer assignment was as the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea. Prior to his current assignment, he served as commander, Special Operations Joint Task Force Central.

He assumed command of Special Operations Command South in June 2024.