After graduation from Battle Creek High School, Robert enlisted in the Navy. Appointed from the fleet by the Secretary of the Navy to the U. S. Naval Academy, he graduated with credit with the Class of 1962. He reported to Pensacola Florida for flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in October 1963. Operationally he flew Skyhawks and Intruders, achieving 735 carrier-arrested landings and 180 combat missions. In between sea tours, he earned a Master of Science degree in Operations Research / Systems Analysis with credit from the U. S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey CA. He also served at sea with a Carrier Group Staff (CARGRU EIGHT) and as a member of the commissioning crew of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). He had analytical tours with the Center for Naval Analysis and the Staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington and was twice selected as a proven sub specialist in Applied Logic. Personal Decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with numeral 13 and two gold stars, the Navy Commendation with one gold star and the combat distinguishing device, and the Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star. He retired from the Navy in 1981 with the rank of Commander.
He began a second carrier in Washington with TRW, working in special projects. He then joined the MITRE corporation, a Federally Funded Research and Development Company (FFRDC). At MITRE, he provided systems engineering technical support to the Federal Aviation Administration and to the Department of Defense. At the time of this profile, Robert was employed as a senior engineer with the Aerospace Company, another FFRDC, and work in the national security space program.
For the last seven years the Paul E. Garber Facility was open, Robert served as a docent with the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, giving tours. He was present at the end of the beginning.