Brigadier General Jerry C. McAbee, USMC (Ret.), born in 1948, grew up in Rainsville, Alabama. He graduated with a degree in history from Jacksonville State University and received diplomas from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College as well as the National War College. McAbee has an extensive knowledge of military tactics and strategies and historical research. He is a combat veteran of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Continuing the legacy of his great-grandfather, a Civil War veteran, McAbee served more than thirty-five years on active duty as a field artillery officer and held various command and staff positions at home and abroad. After retiring from the Marine Corps in 2005, McAbee continued to serve his country as a consultant on national security issues and as a vice president and general manager in the defense industry.

McAbee now spends his time in Florida and Alabama with his wife of forty-eight years.