Baker, David C., MMC

I was born in Dallas, Texas, to Marvin J. "Jerry" Baker and Jayne Marie Baker (Kimbrell). I grew up in Mabank, Texas, a small town about 60 miles southeast of Dallas. In 1993, at the end of my junior year of high school, I moved with my mom to Anchorage, Alaska, where I graduated high school from Bartlett-Begich High School in 1994. While working several jobs I attended the University of Alaska - Anchorage. In 1997, I moved to live with my dad in Merritt Island, FL.

I joined the Navy in May 1998 after being accepted to the Navy's nuclear propulsion program. After completing Recruit Training in July, I was transferred to Nuclear Power Training Command in Orlando, FL, for Nuclear Field Machinist's "A" School. After completing "A" school in November 1998, I transferred to Navy Nuclear Power School in Goose Creek, SC. After completing Power School, I continued on to the nuclear prototype facility (also in Goose Creek), where I was assigned to MTS 626. I completed my training in December 1999.

My first sea duty was on board USS NIMITZ (CVN-68), which was in the middle of a four-year refueling overhaul (RCOH) in Newport News, VA. At the completion of the overhaul in July 2001, NIMITZ was moved to NOB Norfolk, VA, where she was readied for her upcoming change of homeport move to San Diego, CA. In September 2001, NIMITZ departed Norfolk on her way to San Diego. I arrived with the NIMITZ in San Diego in April 2002. In March 2003, NIMITZ would depart on a nine-month deployment to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  NIMITZ would return to San Diego in November. I left NIMITZ in September 2004, en route to Radiological Controls Technician School in Portsmouth, VA. After completing training in March 2005, I was assigned to Trident Refit Facility, Kings Bay, GA, where I was directly involved with the maintenance and overhaul of TRIDENT-class nuclear submarines. I performed this duty until December 2007, when I was transferred to USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70).

Ironically, VINSON was in the middle of its refueling overhaul, an evolution that I was all too familiar with. I departed with VINSON for its change of home port move to San Diego in January 2010. While training off the coast of Florida, Haiti was hit by a major earthquake, and VINSON was called upon to provide humanitarian aid. After two weeks of providing fresh water to Port-au-Prince, VINSON made a port call to Naval Base Mayport, FL. VINSON then departed for her voyage around South America and participated in OPERATION SOUTHERN SEAS. VINSON arrived in San Diego in May 2010.

Over the next two years, VINSON would make two deployments in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. I left VINSON in August 2012, and reported to my new duty station at Ship Repair Facility - Japan Regional Maintenance Center in Yokosuka, Japan, in September 2012. While there, I was one of the creators of the Navy's first (and only) fallout remediation program. I managed that program from June 2013 until I left in September 2016. I left Japant for my last sea tour, again on board VINSON. I was the RP01 Leading Chief Petty Officer from November 2016 to November 2017. I left VINSON in February 2018 and checked in at TPU San Diego. I will go on ternimal leave in April, and retire in May.

I will be relocating to Washington State to begin my new career with the Bureau of Reclamation.