Robert Murray has had a career mainly in public service, first in government, initially in the Marine Corps and then as a civilian official in the Departments of Defense and State. He had a variety of civilian government jobs: Political-Military Attaché at the American Embassy, London; Assistant to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense under Elliot Richardson and James Schlesinger; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs; and, his last job in government, Under Secretary of the Navy. After leaving government, he served on several government commissions.