Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Robert graduated from Duquesne University with a Bachelor’s Degree in education in 1978. He taught in the West Point public school district, West Point, VA for five years while completing his Master’s Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983.

In 1982, Robert entered the United States Marine Corps reserve and augmented to active duty in 1983. During his service, he became a military occupational specialty instructor and earned the designation of Master Training Specialist. Later in his career, he became the Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment at the same school where he had earlier instructed. He achieved the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 and retired after 31 years of service in 2013.

While researching information on the golden age of piracy, Robert realized that most of the publications on the subject were contradictory and even incorrect. This motivated him to write his first award-winning publication, A Pirate’s Life in the Golden Age of Piracy. After its release, his readers expressed a strong interest in Florida pirates. This inspired Robert to write his second book that focused on the them, Pirates of the Florida Coast: Truths, Legends, and Myths. Robert is currently a living historian, author, lecturer, and public speaker. He has appeared as a subject matter expert on pirates at museums, historical events, educational institutions, and on the History Channel.