LtCol Ryan Baker commissioned in 2004 through the Platoon Leaders Course. He completed the Basic Officer Course with Delta Company in 2005 and completed the Ground Supply Officer Course in 2006.
After graduation, he was assigned to 2d Battalion, 5th Marines as the battalion supply officer. He served there for three years and deployed twice—once to Iraq as part of the “surge” in 2007 and once aboard USS Peleliu as part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. In 2009, he transferred to the School of Infantry - West to serve as the school’s supply officer.
In 2010, he left active duty and joined 3d Battalion, 14th Marines as the reserve supply officer. He drilled there for three years and participated in several events and exercises, including the 2011 iteration of African Lion. He then transferred to Marine Wing Support Squadron 472 where he served initially as the squadron logistics officer and then as the Airfield Operations Company commander.
His company command tour was the first of three with MWSS-472. He returned in 2019 to serve as the Squadron Executive Officer and again in 2025 to serve as the Commanding Officer.
Between his tours with MWSS-472, he served with Combat Logistics Regiment 45, the Marine Innovation Unit, and the Director of the Marine Corps Staff. He was also activated for more than a year during the pandemic to serve as the operations officer for the Marine Corps COVID-19 Cell and, later, as the Chief of Staff for the Strategic Review of Amphibious Operations.
He is a graduate of Expeditionary Warfare School and Command and Staff College, both via distance education. He also holds a PhD in public policy, a master’s degree in security studies, and a bachelor’s degree in political science. He hails from northern Utah.