Robert Alan, a native of Chicago, Illinois, spent more than twenty-six years as an officer in the US Air Force.   Attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel,  he has held two command assignments and has over 2000 flying hours as a Mission Crew Commander in E-3 AWACS aircraft. 

Robert holds a B.S. degree in physics from Michigan Technological University, and an M.S. degree in systems management from University of Southern California.   In addition to his knowledge of air operations, he has worked in the aerospace industry as a systems engineer for Hughes Aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

Alan's first novel,  This Way Madness Comes (2009), was selected as an award finalist in the Thriller/Adventure category of USA Book News' National Best Books 2009 Awards competition. 

Robert now lives with his wife along Florida's  northern Gulf Coast where he works as a contractor for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.    He has co-authored two research papers concerning age and distribution of various commercial and recreational fish species native to the northern Gulf of Mexico.

http://web.mac.com/bobmiki