Lieutenant General Robert Milligan - USMC (Retired) - Tallahassee, FL

Robert F. Milligan served with distinction for 35 years in the US Marine Corps before retiring in 1991 as a Lieutenant General. He was elected for two terms as Comptroller of Florida and later served as interim Director of the State Board of Administration, Chairman of the Florida Veterans Foundation and interim Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

General Milligan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, and a master’s degree in business administration (Defense Systems Analysis-Economics) at the University of Rochester. He also studied economics at the doctoral level at the University of Maryland.

General Milligan holds a distinguished record of 39 years of military service, 35 of which were in the United States Marine Corps. During this military career, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and commanded two-thirds of the operating forces of the Marine Corps as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Forces, Pacific and Commander, Marine Corps Bases, Pacific.

Upon retiring from the Marine Corps, General Milligan and his wife June, moved to Panama City, Florida in 1991, and have resided in Florida since.

His service to the State of Florida includes:

  • Elected to two four-year terms as Comptroller of the State of Florida, January 1995 to January 2003. In this capacity he served as watchdog over taxpayers’ money, head of the Department of Banking and Finance, and was a member of the Florida Cabinet. Singularly responsible for directing the automation of the state’s accounting, auditing and contracting processes.
  • Spearheaded the effort to eliminate the comptroller’s job and then lead a successful campaign to limit the possible political influence of the State of Florida’s new Chief Financial Officer.
  • Championed the military service license plate initiatives benefitting state veterans homes.
  • Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps activities at Florida high schools and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
  • Annually served as a stout supporter of the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots Program purchasing bicycles, tricycles and wagons for assembly by state employees volunteering their time after working hours and donating monies for needy children at Christma