Published April 29, 2014
1. COLONEL RAY BAKER WILL RETIRE FROM THE CF ON 31 DEC 11 AFTER MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
2. COL BAKER ENROLLED IN THE CANADIAN FORCES IN SEPT 1976. FOLLOWING CANADIAN MILITARY ENGINEER TRAINING HE WAS POSTED TO 2 COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT PETAWAWA, SERVING AS TROOP COMD, SQUADRON COMD, AND DIVING OFFICER. FOLLOWING PROMOTION TO CAPTAIN IN 1981, HE WAS POSTED TO CFB KINGSTON THEN CFB COLD LAKE SERVING IN ENGINEERING, PRODUCTION AND REQUIREMENTS OFFICER POSITIONS. ON PROMOTION TO MAJOR IN 1989, HE WAS POSTED TO CFB BADEN SOELLINGEN GERMANY AS THE AIRFIELD ENGINEERING OFFICER. DURING HIS TOUR IN GERMANY, HE DEPLOYED ON OPERATION FRICTION TO QATAR. ON HIS RETURN TO CANADA IN 1993 HE WAS POSTED TO CFB OTTAWA AS THE ENGINEERING / REQUIREMENTS OFFICER. IN 1995, HE WAS POSTED TO ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER PERSONNEL WHERE HE WORKED ON THE CE TRADES OCCUPATION ANALYSIS. IN 1998, COL BAKER WAS PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL AND POSTED TO THE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF WHERE HE FILLED SECTION HEAD POSITIONS IN THE DIRECTORATES OF MATERIALS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING. IN JANUARY OF 2001, COL BAKER SERVED AS THE CANADIAN LIAISON OFFICER TO THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA, AND THE CANADIAN EMBASSY IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA. ON RETURN FROM THEATRE, HE WAS POSTED TO 8 WG TRENTON AS THE WING LOGISTICS AND ENGINEERING OFFICER. ON PROMOTION TO COL IN JUNE 2005, HE WAS POSTED TO 1 CANADIAN AIR DIVISION AS THE DIRECTOR CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING / A4 CE.
3. COL BAKER AND HIS WIFE CAROL WILL RETIRE IN LIVERPOOL NOVA SCOTIA WHERE THEY HAVE PURCHASED A PROVINCIAL HERITAGE HOME WITH PLENTY OF ROOM TO ENTERTAIN GRANDCHILDREN, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, PARTICULARLY TOOL BOX CARRYING CE FOLKS (217 YEAR OLD HOMES NEED LOTS OF TENDER LOVE AND CARE). COL BAKER AND CAROL PLAN TO GET BACK TO GOLF, CURLING, COMMUNITY WORK, AND TRAVEL, SO CALL BEFORE VISITING. COL BAKER'S RETIREMENT DATE IS 31 DEC 11. A RETIREMENT LUNCH IS PLANNED IN WINNIPEG FOR FRI 14 OCT 11. ANECDOTES, COMMENTS, AND WELL WISHES CAN BE FORWARD TO CAPT FRANK LOCKE. (LOCKE CAPT JF(AT)1 CDN AIR DIV HQ A4CE(AT)WINNIPEG).