Military leaders who enter service with the primary goal of improving behavioral healthcare are a rare find. Dedicating oneself to improving the mental well-being of fellow service members is an extraordinary undertaking and precisely the challenge Lieutenant Commander Patrick Baker has accepted. Baker is not just a leader; he is a pioneer, breaking down barriers and creating a culture of care within the military while pursuing an evolving and innovative delivery of mental health care.

Baker currently serves as the Department Head of Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Patuxent River. In addition, he concurrently serves as the Installation Director of Psychological Health for Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River and shoulders the responsibility for the psychological health of 52 tenant commands; and as the Deputy Medical Service Line Lead for Behavioral Health, National Capital Region.

Baker was recently awarded and celebrated as the 2024 recipient of the Southern Maryland Chapter Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Admiral Merlin O’Neill award. The Southern Maryland Chapter of MOAA established the Admiral Merlin O’Neill award in 1981 to recognize exemplary junior officers assigned to duties at Naval Air Station Patuxent River. This award is named in honor of Admiral Merlin O’Neill, Commandant of the Coast Guard from 1950 to 1954, who was a southern Maryland resident in his later years. U.S Army Colonel (Ret) Neil Johnson presented Baker with the Admiral Merlin O’Neill Award at the November NAS Patuxent River All-Hands recognition event for his exemplary service to the NAS Patuxent River community.

A native of Long Island, NY, Baker’s journey began once he graduated from Providence College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He completed his master’s in social work and was selected for the Health Services Collegiate Program for Clinical Social Work. Baker completed his clinical training requirement at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, where he served primarily in the Department of Oncology, providing counseling and medical advice for acutely ill patients and their families.

Deciding to embark on a career in the navy was a result of a transformative experience during Baker’s graduate studies while working with veterans at Northport VA Medical Center, in Northport, NY. Baker remarked, “I was inspired by the sacrifices and resilience of the Veteran population and felt the need to do something more proactive to help them heal.” Recognizing opportunities to provide solutions tailored to the unique mental health needs of the military community, Baker was compelled to promote catalytic change, for good. It was after his clinical training that Baker accepted a commission to the United States Navy.

Baker’s decision to pursue a naval career has been a measurable and significant success. He served as part of the Operational Stress Control and Readiness (OSCAR) Team at 1st Marine Division where he was the principle Mental Health Staff Officer responsible for the psychological resiliency of approximately 3,500 marines and sailors.

As the mental health advisor to the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Surgeon, and Commanding General, Baker established embedded mental health capability for the 3rd MEF Information Group in Okinawa, Japan. During his tenure, he also served as the lead medical planner for the cooperative health engagement under the Humanitarian Civic Assistance component of Exercise Balikatan 2017. He completed the Plans, Operations, and Medical Intelligence (POMI) course and was subsequently the first Licensed Clinical Social Worker awarded the POMI sub-specialty.

Baker was then assigned to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) and served as the Deputy Chief of the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control (NCCOSC). At NCCOSC, he worked to optimize the psychological readiness of sailors and marines through the development, aggregation, and dissemination of best practices and innovations in preventing psychological injuries. Baker fully developed Navy Medicine’s first comprehensive One Navy Medicine Mental Health Strategy which received unanimous concurrence from the Surgeon General and Navy Medicine Executive Staff.

The following awards and honors offer an additional glimpse of Baker’s distinguished service to date:

* 2024 Admiral Merlin O’Neill Award
* Navy Clinical Social Worker of the Year in 2019
* Meritorious Service Medal
* Two Navy Achievement Medals
* Two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals
* Armed Forces Service Medal
* Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
* Global War on Terrorism National Defense Medal
* Navy Marksmanship Ribbon (Sharpshooter)
* Navy Marksmanship Rifle (Expert) Medal

In his short time at NAS Patuxent River, Baker continues to advance and advocate for progressive behavioral health care and administer quality services in his role as a provider. As service members face chronic stress, operational fatigue, sleeplessness, and the challenges of adapting to rapidly changing technologies and mission requirements, it is important for them to know there is a path to mental wellness. Education and communication are key to spreading the message of prioritizing mental health and Baker has presented to multiple commands and executive leadership groups on the topic. One of Baker’s most significant discourses concerns the art of “Embracing Stress” as he speaks to discovering opportunities for growth, self-reflection, and balance in recognizing and leaning into perceived stressful situations. Stress has grown into a word with significant negative connotation and Baker is determined to flip the script and promote a positive and impactful relationship with stress. As Baker explains, “Stress can be a positive force that increases focus, builds resilience by overcoming challenges, and strengthens one’s ability to cope with stressors which leads to personal growth.”

Captain Jeremy J. Hawker is the Commanding Officer of (NMRTC) Patuxent River and serves concurrently as the Director of the Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River. Hawker speaks to the significance of Baker’s impact, “LCDR Baker is a talented provider, who we cannot be more grateful for in supporting our community here at NAS Pax. His multifaceted approach in the management of behavioral health issues in the region is truly one of a kind and noted from the Flag level down to the deck plate. I have had senior level leaders tell me after listening to his briefs and engaging with him, that they sought behavioral health treatment because of him, and they want to share the message that it is okay to seek treatment. He is truly a diamond in the rough, who provides support 24/7 for this community and we cannot appreciate him more.”

Through community education, professional engagement, and a relentless pursuit of quality treatment processes, Baker is dedicated to leaving a lasting positive impact. His commitment to fostering a culture of mental health awareness and support is inspiring, and his efforts are poised to significantly enhance the well-being of military personnel. He is a well-deserved recipient of the Admiral Melvin O’Neill Award. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote, “To leave the world a bit better . . . to know that even one life was breathed easier because you have lived – that is to have succeeded.” According to Emerson’s standard, Baker has, indeed, succeeded as there are many who have breathed easier for crossing his path.