Lieutenant Colonel Schreffler was born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a bachelor of art’s degree in history and was commissioned a second lieutenant in May 1994. Following graduation from the Basic Officer Course and the Infantry Officer Course at Quantico, Virginia he reported to 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California. As a lieutenant in 2/5 he served as a rifle platoon commander, S-3 liaison officer, mortar platoon commander, and assistant operations officer. He deployed twice with 2/5 when it served as the battalion landing team for 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and participated in unit training and exercises in Okinawa, Korea, and Australia.

In June 1998 Captain Schreffler reported to the Basic School for duty as the Weapons Platoon Commander, Combat Instructor Company. He was responsible for all individual and crew-served weapons live-fire training for Basic Officer Course companies. From September 1999 until July 2001 he was assigned as an instructor at Infantry Officer Course where he served as the primary instructor for the counter-mechanized, fire support, and urban operations packages. Following the tour at the Basic School he attended Amphibious Warfare School and graduated in May 2002.

Captain Schreffler reported to 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Twentynine Palms, California in June 2002. He served as the commanding officer of Company L until May 2003 and led the company from Kuwait to Baghdad during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM I. Following company command he became the operations officer of 3/7 and participated in stability operations in Karbala, Iraq from June until September 2003 and combat operations in Al Qa’im, Iraq during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM II from March until September 2004. He was promoted to major in April of 2004 while serving as the battalion operations officer.

From April 2005 until June 2008 Major Schreffler returned to Quantico, Virginia to serve at the Expeditionary Warfare School as a faculty advisor, the infantry occupational field expansion course program director, and the Curriculum Development Section Head. During this tour he completed the Command and Staff College Distance Education Program. Following his assignment at Expeditionary Warfare School Major Schreffler attended the School of Advanced Warfighting, graduating in June 2009 with the degree of Master of Operational Studies.

Major Schreffler reported to the War Plans Branch, G-5, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific in July 2009. For the next fourteen months he managed the command’s operational planning for crisis and contingency response on the Korean peninsula. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in February 2010 and returned to 1st Marine Division in September 2010.

Lieutenant Colonel Schreffler’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal with combat distinguishing device, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.