J.F. Cronin is a retired Marine Corps Major General whose military experiences inform many of his works. As a junior officer in Vietnam, his first books pointed to the disconnect betweeen those running the war and the grunts. As he rose in the chain of command, he saw those same disconnects and wrote about them from a military-political perspective. Reviewers have called his books as telling of the grunts' frustrations and concerns, their stories. His recent works look at the disturbing growth of politically connected private contractors taking over military functions. Mecenaries swear no oath. Their allegiance is to money. It is a dangerous trend regardless of the government. His insights into the political-military culture are supported by his background and education. He holds a master's degree in international relations for Salve Regina University. He has had published op-eds, essays, articles, ten books, a play as well as given speeches and has appeared on radio and TV. He currently lives without social media on the Oregon Coast where he tries to see sunsets through the rain.