Joe William Haldeman, born on June 9, 1943, is a distinguished American science fiction author. He is celebrated for his novel The Forever War (1974), a book that draws from his harrowing experiences as a combat soldier in the Vietnam War. This seminal work, along with others such as The Hemingway Hoax (1991) and Forever Peace (1997), has earned him prestigious science fiction awards, including the Hugo Award and Nebula Award. Haldeman's contributions to the genre were recognized with the SFWA Grand Master title for career achievements, and in 2012, he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame.

Before embarking on his literary career, Haldeman graduated in 1967 with a degree in Physics, specializing in astronomy, from the University of Maryland. His life took a dramatic turn the same year when he was drafted into the Vietnam War, where he was awarded the Purple Heart. The war left him severely wounded due to a mine explosion, a traumatic experience that propelled him into writing. His first book, War Year, was a direct narrative of his war experiences. His subsequent foray into science fiction was marked by a distinctive anti-war sentiment.

Haldeman's writing career is complemented by his role as an educator. He earned a Master's in Literature from the University of Iowa and, from 1983 to 2014, served as a professor teaching writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Notably, he served as president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) from 1992 to 1994.

Joe Haldeman is not just a prolific science fiction author, with 20 novels and five collections to his name, including notable titles such as Camouflage, The Accidental Time Machine, and Marsbound. He is also a respected teacher, mentor, and a cherished member of the science fiction and fantasy community. In 2010, he was honored with the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award by the SFWA at the Nebula Awards Weekend.