A Marine Called Gabe
Ralph Stoney Bates Sr. is a 26 year veteran of the regular, active, United States Marine Corps, currently retired and, in addition to writing, teaches military and naval subjects at Furman University's Life Long Learning (OLLI) program. In addition to being a Marine, retired, he is a retired law enforcement officer.  Ralph is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He served as a Marine Drill Instructor at Parris Island, was a military policeman, served in the infantry and aviation, as a criminal investigator, brig officer, a provost marshal, a deputy sheriff (in NY and FL), and has been a teacher and instructor (military and civil) of a variety of subjects for over 55 years. He held teaching  positions at Los Angeles City College, University of Hawaii, Saint John Fisher College and the University of Maryland. He graduated in the 124th session of the FBI National Academy. He belongs to the FBI National Academy Associates, the Disabled American Veterans, The Marine Corps Association, The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and the Marine Corps League. He and his wife, Lyn, live in Taylors, South Carolina. They travel often (when not writing books-he has another one "cooking" in the oven) to interesting, sometimes exotic (sometimes not) and learning locations, to meet interesting and nice (sometimes not) people.