Robert Fantina is a long-time activist for peace and social justice. He has worked with the Coalition for Peace Action in New Jersey. Originally involved in the Dennis Kucinich presidential campaign in 2004, he eventually worked as a district organizer through MoveOn.org on the Kerry campaign in Florida. Following the 2004 presidential election, he moved to Canada, where he now resides.

About his interest in military desertion, Fantina says, "My interest in desertion dates to the Vietnam era and my protests against that war. More recently I have been in contact with deserters and have researched their stories. In reviewing interviews with these men and researching the government's case against each of them, my beliefs about desertion have crystallized. This led me to explore the reasons for desertion throughout America's history. My belief that the motivations for desertion are many and complex, and are either rooted in or encouraged by military policy, has been supported by my research."