Andrew Carnegie once said, “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.”

That is exactly what Howland native Robert A. Bixler II did after graduating from Howland High School in 1999 and attending the Coast Guard Academy, from which he graduated in 2003. And although he now lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, he was back in Northeast Ohio for the July 4 holiday, visiting family and going to his favorite eateries — the Original Hot Dog Shoppe, Mocha House, Sunrise Inn and Up A Creek.

Bixler said he enjoys coming back to his hometown to relive many of the memorable experiences that so greatly influenced his personal and professional life.

“There’s no place like home,” Bixler said. “After serving 20 years of active duty in the Coast Guard, I’ve been to lots of places, but there is so much to be said for the strong values that I gained from family, lifelong friends, teachers and coaches in my formative years.”

His parents, Bob and Patti Bixler, still reside in Howland. He was a three-sport letterman as a Howland Tiger football, basketball and baseball player.

“What I learned and how my skills were developed laid the foundation for playing NCAA football and club basketball while at the academy. I still delight in coaching flag football and my travel baseball team,” Bixler said.

After high school, Bixler had wanted to go to the Air Force Academy, and received a Congressional nomination from the late Ohio Sen. John Glenn.

“My desire to serve in the Air Force could have been a reality, but I chose the U.S. Coast Guard Academy because I could play college sports. Since it was closer to home, my parents could visit and watch me play. The academy was a wonderful experience in not only training for the many missions for which I would be responsible, but in truly believing the Coast Guard core values — honor, respect and devotion to duty. All of these qualities continue to drive us while (and after) we serve our country with pride.”

Bixler’s service from May 2003 to July 2023 saw him become a senior officer, attaining the rank of commander (O-5). Coast Guard ships, called cutters, have a variety of missions, ranging from maritime search and rescue to law enforcement, and maritime safety and environmental protection to national security.

“I was the commanding officer of the Coast Guard cutter, Pike, which I navigated through the Panama Canal on my 25th birthday. I also served on the White House Southwest Border Migrant Crisis Action Team from 2018 to 2020. Many of the missions were more military and some were law enforcement. Our cutters could launch helicopters and fast boats to catch drug runners — resulting in millions of dollars worth of cocaine and other drugs being confiscated. We also worked in migrant interdiction,” Bixler said.

“Other tasks were humanitarian missions. Coast Guard actions have been crucial to saving the lives of hundreds of stranded-at-sea Haitian migrants and in other such rescue missions. We also aided in the ‘Delta and Dawn Whale Rescue’ in the San Francisco Bay area in 2007.”

A book, “Eye of the Whale,” written by Douglas Abrams, was about the rescue of the mother and baby humpback whales (an endangered species), resulting in them being returned from the Sacramento Delta to the open Pacific waters. Because of Coast Guard assistance, his name appears in the credits of that book as a contributing editor.

Many of these memorable occasions were directly service-related. However, there are many more “once (or twice) in a lifetime” happenings that occurred because of where he was and what he was doing. Not too many people outside of politics can say they have met not one, but two, Presidents Bush.

“I met the elder Bush in the summer of 2000 while aboard the Coast Guard barque Eagle, the Coast Guard Academy’s 3-masted sailing ship,” Robert said. “This was in New York City where President George H.W. Bush (41) was attending the OpSail 2000 events. Fortunately, I was on duty that day and got the chance to give him a tour of the entire ship.

“Then, at the 2003 Coast Guard Academy graduation ceremony, President George W. Bush (43) gave the commencement speech. As each cadet walked on stage before me to receive a diploma, all were quiet and nobody in the audience did or said anything. Secret Service agents were everywhere on campus and throughout the auditorium. This did not stop my cousin, Jennifer, from screaming out, ‘I love you, Cuz’, as President Bush handed me my diploma. The crowd roared with laughter and the president grabbed me to have a photo taken.”

BIxler said his success in life was positively influenced by his parents and grandparents.

“My grandfather, Richard Orwig, referred to by many as ‘Mr. Howland,’ was a wonderful mentor for how to get things done successfully,” he said.

Orwig served in Iwo Jima and was post commander of the Howland American Legion Post 700, of which Bixler is a 24-year member.

“I own a home next to my parents, which I’m renting out. That, and the fact that a brother and my sister live in Ohio give me strong and fond ties to the Warren area,” he said.

His siblings are Ryan, Ross and Rachel, and he is the father of three sons ranging in age from 3 to 12, Robert A. Bixler III, Blake and Zayden.

His pursuit of two master’s degrees began in 2013 at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and at Liberty University. He holds both a Master of Science in accounting degree and an MBA (Masters in Business Administration).

“With these qualifications and a certified government financial manager title, I began to think about a post-retirement vocation. It was also helpful that the Coast Guard had tasked me with bringing new life to a 12-year financial accounting system for the department,” he said.

Thanks to a foundation of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the transition from military to civilian employment worked out well.

“My Coast Guard service officially ended on July 31, 2023. The next day, I became an account executive with OneStream Software LLC. They brought me aboard through an amazing program called ‘Hiring Our Heroes,’ which connects the military community with American businesses to create economic opportunity and a strong and diversified workforce.” Bixler said.

“Now at OneStream, I support the public sector and Department of Defense with financial system modernization and digital transformation efforts so that the federal government can make better decisions faster, and utilize taxpayer dollars more efficiently and effectively.”