Capt. Jeff Baker
Commanding Officer, RICHARD M MCCOOL JR (LPD 29)
04 December 2024
Captain Baker enlisted in the Navy in 1994 following graduation from Westminster College in Pennsylvania, earning a B.S. degree in Physics. He completed nuclear propulsion training and served two years as an instructor at NPTU Ballston Spa, NY and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1998. He earned M.S. in Systems Engineering & Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, and completed Joint Professional Military Education Phase I from the Naval War College in 2005. In 2020, he earned a M.S. in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy and completed Joint Professional Military Education Phase II from the National Defense University, Joint Advanced Warfighting School.
Afloat, Captain Baker served as the Main Propulsion Officer on USS Shreveport (LPD 12); Landing Craft OIC in Assault Craft Unit Two; Chief Engineer on USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44); Commanding Officer of Patrol Coastal Crew Delta on USS Hurricane (PC 3) and USS Firebolt (PC 10); Executive Officer on USS Comstock (LSD 45); Commanding Officer on USS Tortuga (LSD 46); and Commander, Naval Surface Squadron Five (CNSS5) in Manama, Bahrain.
Ashore, Captain Baker served as a Federal Executive Fellow in Washington D.C. and worked on U.S. Maritime Strategy in the Defense Studies group at the American Enterprise Institute; COMNAVSURFLANT N44 working material readiness improvements for Amphibious and Patrol Coastal ships; and Commanding Officer at Engineering Assessments Atlantic.
Captain Baker’s military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (2), Navy Commendation Medal (6), the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the GWOT Expeditionary and Service Medals, Iraqi Campaign Medal, and various other campaign medals and unit awards.