John Cirafici received his master’s degree in European History from City University of New York and is a graduate of the military’s Air War College. He is a past recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship, researching the impact of the Vietnam War on American society. His career as a writer has, until recently, taken second place to his responsibilities as a very busy, full time member of our nation’s military forces, serving in conflicts from the Iraq War to Vietnam, Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, and in others.  He served in a diplomatic capacity in Algeria.  He has been a mountain rescue specialist and a wildland firefighter. He is an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, and various community groups.  Despite his very high activity level he has been prolific as an author of two books including one that was award winning.  He has written countless articles, and numerous book reviews. His most recent collection of short stories--A Cabin in the Mountains and other short stories--based on actual experiences, has been well received.