Bob Connors was born on May 22, 1956, in Rochester, New York. He was commissioned a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2), in the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Navy Reserve on September 19, 1980, and then attended Officer Indoctrination School at Navel Education and Training Center, Newport, Rhode Island, from November to December 1980. His first assignment was as Chief, Patient Administration, at the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from December 1980 to July 1984, followed by service as Head, Office of Medical/Dental Affairs, at Naval Medical Command, NE Region, at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, from July 1984 to July 1987. During this time, LT Connors transferred to the Regular Navy on September 10, 1985. LCDR Connors next served as a Staff Officer, Patient Administration Division, Office of the Surgeons General/Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, in Washington, D.C., from July 1987 to July 1990, followed by service as Head, Patient Administration, at the Naval Hospital in Rota, Spain, from July 1990 to July 1994. He then served as Director for Administration at the Naval Hospital at Twentynine Palms, California, from July 1994 to July 1997. CDR Connors' final assignment was as Director for Project Management, and Director for Data Quality, Business Intelligence, and Knowledge Management at the Naval Medical Information Management Center at Bethesda, Maryland, from July 1997 until his retirement from the Navy on December 1, 2000.

His 2nd Meritorious Service Medal Citation reads:

For outstanding meritorious service as Director for Information Management/Information Technology Reenineering and Commercial Activities Study, Director for Project Management, and Director for Data Quality, Decision Support, Business Intelligence, and Knowledge Management, Naval Medical Information Management Center, Bethesda, Maryland, from August 1997 to December 2000. Commander Connors spurred an enterprise-wide interest in improving the design and development of cutting-edge information technologies. He researched alternatives in the management of personnel resources within the Military Health System, used data quality and existing information to facilitate resource management, and improved decision making. He co-authored a comprehensive report for the Military Health System Chief Information Officer and Deputy Surgeons General recommending consolidation of Military Health System Information Management/Information Technology activities. He led the deployment of the Preventive Healthcare Application that resulted in expert decision support capability for clinicians at 25 Navy medical treatment facilities. He enhanced the development, maintenance and sustainment of the Anthrax and Immunization Tracking System. He established a new directorate that formulated Navy Medicine's first Data Quality Improvement Plan. He also conducted studies and trained staff to provide value-added products that improved customer service. By his exceptional professional ability, personal initiative, and total dedication to duty, Commander Connors reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.