Scott Bethel is a retired Air Force Brigadier General with 38 years of senior leadership experience in small business development, business intelligence, strategic planning, organizational design, intelligence, information technologies and security, cyber, and education. He served as vice commander, Air Force ISR Agency (AFISRA), where he oversaw the organization, training and equipping of assigned forces to conduct ISR for the nation. In wartime Gen Bethel retired as the Air Force’s senior Targeting Officer with deep experience in Desert Storm, Kosovo., OEF, and OIF. He was NATO’s chief targeteer and leader on the Munitions Effectiveness Teams where he provided in-depth analysis of the selection and success of the bombing campaigns. His consulting clients include Raytheon, Wyle Labs, SAP/NS2, Lockheed-Martin, and Leidos. He also writes and speaks extensively on Russian foreign policy and authored a book on Putin’s foreign policy aims early in his rule.  He has founded and been the CEO of 4 successful companies. His current focus is on ISR, Space, and Cyber Operations, Strategy, Policy, Education and Training.  He has also launched a new company in the Oil and Gas Industry. He’s worked in an advisory and training role with US and coalition partners including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Thailand, Poland, Pakistan, the Netherlands, Finland, and Mexico.  

Gen Bethel holds a master’s degree in strategic intelligence from the Defense Intelligence College and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Northern Illinois University.  He also was a national security fellow at Boston University.  He is the author of numerous articles and is author of the book Vladmir Vladmirovich Putin and Russian Foreign Policy for a New Millennium: A New Approach.