A native New Mexican, Gary Cozzens grew up in Portales, where he graduated from Portales High School and Eastern New Mexico University, earning a double major in history and political science. Following graduation, he served in the United States Marine Corps for a total of twenty-four years, including Operation Desert Storm, and retired as a major in 1999. Cozzens is a member of the Lincoln County Historical Society, Fort Stanton, Inc., the Lincoln County Site Watch program and the Historical Society of New Mexico. He is the author of The Nogal Mesa, also published by The History Press. Gary and his wife, Shirley Crawford, live on the Nogal Mesa in Lincoln County, New Mexico.