Colonel Joseph P. Martino, USAF (ret.) “is a faculty member at Yorktown University, where he teaches a course on Just War Doctrine. He was a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Dayton Research Institute from 1975 to 1993. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1975, retiring in the grade of Colonel. He received the A.B. from Miami University, the M.S.E.E. from Purdue University, and the PhD from Ohio State University. He was a visiting professor at Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey, in from 1997 to 1999. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics.”

Colonel Joseph P. Martino is the author of Customized Technological Forecasting for Decision Making; Research and Development Project Selection; The Justice Cooperative; A Fighting Chance: The Moral Use of Nuclear Weapons; and, Project Management.

According to the book description of Research and Development Project Selection, “Martino presents the entire analysis process including estimation techniques that will help R&D management choose the best projects for their current situations and goals. Explains how to evaluate alternative projects and make selections based on proven methods. The advantages and disadvantages of each selection method are discussed as well as their relationship to one another.”

According to the book description of The Justice Cooperative, “They were attacked by a vicious criminal. Their testimony helped put him in jail. He’s out now and he wants revenge. The cops won’t help them. They must get justice for themselves. Where can they turn? The Justice Cooperative.”

Matthew Bracken (Enemies Foreign And Domestic and Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista) said of The Justice Cooperative, “I'm happy to see that the Second Amendment seems to be forging its own niche as a unique genre. The first and most well-known is "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross, written in 1996. At 861 pages, UC is quite a hefty read, but it has developed a strong cult following because of its excellence. My own 2003 novel "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" is no featherweight either at 568 pages. Now we have the newest novel in the genre, "The Justice Cooperative" by Joe Martino. At 292 pages, is by far the most accessible of the three.

"The Justice Cooperative" covers the nightmarish problem of one young married couple in a town in America. A few years earlier, they had been the victims of a home invasion by a violent criminal predator. The husband was knocked almost unconscious in the surprise attack, and his pretty wife was raped in front of him after he was tied up. The criminal was later arrested, and based on their testimony he was put in prison for an all-too-short plea-bargained sentence.

As the novel opens, the governor of the state is commuting the sentences of all prisoners who have served more than one half of their time, due to prison overcrowding. Their tormenter is freed, and begins a crafty stalking campaign, threatening to repay them for their court testimony.

In desperation, the couple purchases a pair of handguns, and takes instructional courses to learn to shoot them effectively. During this instruction, they come to realize the crucial importance of the right to keep and bear arms spelled out (not "granted") in the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights. They learn how the law is effectively stacked against the innocent citizen, in favor of criminals. (The reader will also get a tremendous education in self-defense theory, practice and law simply by reading this book.)

The "Justice Cooperative" of the title refers to a shadowy group which works to provide terminal justice to dangerous criminals the police can't-or won't-deal with, before they rape or kill even more victims. With an anonymous note, the faceless and nameless cooperative contacts the couple at a shooting range, where they have mentioned their struggle to defend themselves. The husband agrees to help the cooperative to target other violent felons, in return for later help with his own stalker. I don't want to say anything more about the plot, but I will say that "The Justice Cooperative" raises some very intriguing ideas for a covert form of vigilantism.

Along the way, "The Justice Cooperative" makes a powerful case for the continuing importance of the Second Amendment in today's society. I highly recommend this book to anyone who owns a gun for self-defense, or who has ever considered owning a gun. Because it's much shorter than "Unintended Consequences" or "Enemies Foreign and Domestic," it may make a better initial "educational gift" for that liberal-leaning friend or relative who might be open-minded about guns for self-defense.”