Joseph L. Shaefer, Brigadier General, USAF, Ret.

Brigadier General Shaefer is a best-selling author, a former professor of Global Studies, and a US Army and Air Force veteran with experience in the military, diplomatic, and academic worlds. His passion is to travel and discuss ideas and events with other inquisitive individuals and groups.

Joe served 36 years in the Army and Air Force, Active, Guard, and Reserve, from Private to Brigadier General. He was a Special Forces A-Team commander, a South America analyst, NATO and, later, Southeast Asia country officer at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA,) air attaché to Burma/Myanmar, Mobile Interrogations Teams Cmdr. in the Middle East, and a senior political/military officer to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations.

As a civilian, he started a small brokerage firm which he later sold to Chuck Schwab. After a dozen years in senior management at Schwab, he retired. A failure at retirement, he is now a private investor, traveler, writer, and speaker on world and national affairs.

Joe writes and speaks on key issues including geopolitics, economics, culture, history, espionage, human intelligence, and resources. He has spoken before numerous audiences including the CIA, the FBI National Academy, the George Marshall Center, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and the National Security Forum. He is a Founding Member of the OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) Foundation.

Joe’s first book was published by Dow Jones-Irwin. He has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, Strategic Review, American Thinker, Forbes, and more. He is a Life Member of the Special Forces Assn. and the Air & Space Forces Assn.

The following is just a sampling. There are many more!

Water -- The Driving Force ©
We call Earth the water planet, and so it appears from space, a big blue marble with rivers, waterfalls, alpine lakes, fresh snow, rain, and deep oceans. In fact, however, our most precious resource is in too-rapid decline. 97.5% of the earth’s water is lethal without expensive treatment. The other 2.5% is often locked up as permafrost, glaciers, and groundwater. Those nations that husband well their water will survive. Those that don’t will do anything to get it. Water wars have already occurred. If we are wise, we can prevent others.

Crisis in the Arctic ©
Unlike Las Vegas, what happens in the Arctic region does not stay in the Arctic; it affects the entire planet. The rest of Earth's weather, our supply of potable water, and global climate regulation all flow from what happens there. Compelling environmental & security concerns cry out for immediate multinational action.

Does World Leadership in the 21st Century Belong to China? ©
Much has been written about the Chinese economic miracle and, by extension, the likelihood that the 21st century must be “The Chinese Century.” What created this supposed miracle, how much of it is true, and if it is true, is it sustainable? Looking only at the numbers tells us nothing about the cultural upheaval, the approaching demographic bubble, the level of debt taken on, the jobs conundrum, the exodus of talent, or the historic failures of autocracies to provide long-term success. The good in China could yet come out but only with different governance.

Russia is in Decline: That Makes It Dangerous ©
What was Vladimir Putin thinking? Why was Ukraine singled out for this dangerous invasion? Mr. Putin has presided over, and indeed accelerated, Russia’s demographic and economic decline. He believes in a return to the glory days of the USSR. In fact, he has returned Russia to the imperious imperialism of the Tsars. However, this declining nation also has more nuclear weapons and delivery capability than any other. US, European, and world foreign policymakers must move intelligently and nimbly. Here are some options.

North Korea: What Now, What If? ©
Too many analysts believe that if diplomacy fails with North Korea, to prevent nuclear Armageddon the world’s only recourse is war. Nonsense. I suggest that diplomacy when *combined* with three additional actions short of warfare, we can avoid that fate. And if in fact the unthinkable must happen, the military and diplomatic arms of the Free World are charged with the responsibility to consider the unthinkable. I offer you my analysis of what that war would be like if it must come to be.

The Good News About the World Today ©
I write and speak about Big Issues that are complex and potentially dangerous. But I will not let that reality overshadow the incredible strides the citizens of this planet have made over our short history here. In particular, the unique coming together of nation-state democracy, capitalism, and upward mobility have unleashed the greatest torrent of individual and collective accomplishment in history.

“A Boss Says ‘Go.’ A Leader Says ‘Let’s Go!’ ” ©
Every young infantryman in the United States Army learns the phrase “Follow Me!” Those two words encompass more about the essence of leadership than in a hundred or more books on the subject. Whether in the military, government, corporate or entrepreneurial world, here is how you separate leaders from mere functionaries.

Portugal’s Place in World History ©
Portugal's ocean-going shipbuilding prowess, cartographic and navigational skills, and vivid sense of imagination and adventure all combined to give Portugal the early edge in discovering lucrative new lands. It was from Porto, the city in Portugal's north, from which Henry the Navigator first conquered Moorish Ceuta, which led directly to Portugal’s rapid ascent among nations. Portugal launched and was an early recipient of the benefits of what Europeans call The Age of Exploration.

The Polish Eagle Arises Anew ©
Riven by conflict from the earliest times, Poland’s geography has left it vulnerable to conquest by more powerful neighbors. More than once, the nation has been divided by larger powers and left for dead. But it has then risen and reinvented itself. "Never again” is the cry in Poland today, as this rapidly emerging nation ascends the world stage as a key member of NATO and the European Union.

Traders, Raiders, and Law-Makers: The True Story of the Vikings ©
Most non-academic portrayals of the Vikings paint them as beautiful but powerless females and rapacious marauding males bent on nothing more than pillage, murder, and mayhem. Not so! The Vikings were also peaceful traders with many neighbors, explorers who sailed as far as North America, and lawmakers – male and female. Their early parliamentary councils provided key foundations of English common law and, by extension, US and other democratic nations’ laws. Here is “the rest of the story.”

The Nordic Nations – Socialist or Capitalist, Which Is It? ©
Some politicians in the United States and elsewhere frequently cite the Nordic nations as examples of soft socialism. In advocating increased central government subsidy, decision-making, supervision, and intervention, they have painted themselves a picture of life among the “Norden” that is wholly inaccurate! Providing for the administration of basic needs, at the continuing request of free voters, is not socialism. In fact, capitalism thrives in these free-market nations of hard workers who believe pay now is better than pay later.

Roam the Entire World! But Do It Safely… ©
There is so much to see and to experience in this big, beautiful world! You can be certain that your cruise will avoid known geopolitical problem areas. But most of us might also sometimes fly to Peru to experience Machu Picchu or do volunteer work in Kenya or hire a car and drive to the great vineyards of Europe. I offer my experience in special operations and intelligence as well as living abroad to discuss pre-planning steps to ensure safety, situational awareness in-country, and cultural acclimation to enhance both your enjoyment and your safety.

All © JL Shaefer 2022

1990 -- ROYAL VIKING (if you remember them!) I had just written a book and was booked directly.
The next year I was recalled to active military duty for deployment, followed by senior roles that needed my full devotion. My speaking was solely to the military, diplomatic, and intelligence community until my retirement.) Then...
2018 - Aboard CRYSTAL Symphony, SILVERSEA Spirit, and SEA DREAM I.
2019 -- Aboard CRYSTAL Symphony, SILVERSEA Wind, and CRYSTAL Serenity.
2020 -- Aboard 2 legs of CRYSTAL Serenity's World Cruise (South Pacific) before Covid-19 forced the cruise to end.
2021 -- Aboard VIKING SEA, all in The Med
2022 -- Aboard VIKING VENUS in Scandinavia, the Baltic, the Med, and VIKING STAR r/t the Panama Canal.
2023 -- Aboard VIKING MARS in Scandinavia, the Baltic, the Med, SATURN Canada/Greenland/Iceland & MARS Montreal-FLL. Aboard THE WORLD in Scandinavia & N Europe
2024 -- Aboard THE WORLD in the southern cone of Africa

Under "Special Interest," I include and have spoken about leadership and command, how foreign policy is made (or not) at the national level, told now unclassified stories of exceptional unsung heroes, little-known intelligence coups and disasters, what 'special ops' means and how each nation's forces interact, 'failures' who turned failure into success, timelines of history and other topics of enduring interest to passengers.

Video presentations of three of the aforementioned topics (in their entirety if requested -- 24,36 & 39 minutes) are available via Dropbox or any other means of communication requested.

In addition, you may view three shorter, edited-for-time presentations on YouTube, here:
SYRIA Lessons Learned -- 18 minutes (https://youtu.be/iJibu1GCMY4)
A serious look at the options to deal with NORTH KOREA nuclear capabilities - 11 minutes (https://youtu.be/r5gpOJdkCbs)
Crisis in the ARCTIC - 16 minutes (https://youtu.be/Og1nByemXKA)
(For your convenience, there are also partial clips of #s 2 and 3, at the bottom of my CV/bio above.)

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.