Published: October 14, 2007 11:15 pm         

Drummond native has been in Iraq since January

When Gen. David Petraeus, the nation’s top military commander in Iraq, testified before Congress last month, he highlighted progress being made in that war-torn country, particularly in the Al Anbar province.

His words fanned no small amount of debate among politicians and pundits alike about the future of America’s military presence in Iraq.

But Petraeus also stirred pride in the hearts of American military men and women serving in that part of western Iraq.

One of those Americans is a Drummond native, Marine Lt. Col. Paul Baker, who has been in Iraq since January.

“Ironically, we had a boost from Gen. Petraeus’ testimony in front of Congress, specifically because of his use of Al Anbar as a benchmark,” said Baker Friday by telephone from Fallujah. We definitely take a lot of pride in what we have done in the last nine months. It was key to our morale to see we are being given our due for the hard work we have done here.”

Progress is being made in Iraq, and especially in Al Anbar, Baker said, because of a change in attitude among the Iraqi people.

“We enjoy the support of the populace in the U.S.,” Baker said. “That hasn’t been true of the Iraqi people and their army. But in Al Anbar people are supporting the Iraqi police and military. We see the local populace supporting Sunni or Shia military leadership here. It is a unique environment with the two major tribal groups working together in Al Anbar.”

Baker, 43, is in charge of the Movement Coordination Center, which coordinates movement of all administrative and logistical convoys crossing Al Anbar.

Attacks on convoys in the province have dropped dramatically in recent months, Baker said.

“You can’t fathom the amount of attacks we would have per night,” Baker said. “It was in the 20s, 30s and 40s when we first got here. Now many nights go by and we don’t have an IED (improvised explosive device) attack against a convoy. The freedom of movement is definitely a lot better for not only us, but for the civilians here in Al Anbar.”

Baker spent much of his young life in Drummond, moving there when he was in third grade. He graduated from Drummond High School in 1983 and attended North-western Oklahoma State University in Alva, where he earned a degree in business administration with an emphasis on banking and finance.

Baker says he has fond memories of his time in northwest Oklahoma.

“Every aspect of my life has been in small towns” Baker said. “It started there with Drummond and I went to college in a small town and I am stationed in a small town.”

His decision to pursue a military career was no surprise, given the fact his father, William C. Baker, served in the Army and National Guard for 29 years. Besides, his oldest brother William J. Baker retired from the Air Force and his middle brother, John, served in the Navy.

Baker’s parents have retired and relocated to McAllen, Texas, but he keeps in contact with friends from his youth, particularly his days at NWOSU.

Baker only pinned on the silver oak leaves of a lieutenant colonel Oct. 1 after his promotion from major, so is still getting used to the designation.

“I still turn around once in awhile to see who is behind me when someone calls me lieutenant colonel,” he said.

His wife, Kim, and children Kayla, 15, and Calvin, 7, are at home at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Baker was home on leave for two weeks in August and was able to take part in some parental rituals.

“I got to take my 7-year-old boy for his first day of second grade and went to soccer practices, and to cross country practices with my daughter,” Baker said. “It was a great two weeks.”

Having a loving, supportive family is key to keeping the spirits of deployed troops up, Baker said. The ability to communicate daily through e-mail is vital as well, he added.

“I don’t know how World War II or Korean War soldiers made it through three- or four-year deployments with just getting a letter every month or so,” Baker said. “The ability to e-mail and to send pictures back and forth has been key.”

The greatest satisfaction he has drawn from his deployment, Baker said, is seeing Iraqi army troops taking over defense of their own country.

“They are operating independently, executing orders from the Iraqi high command,” Baker said. “Now they are taking the reins, taking the lead and executing missions on their own.”

In terms of rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, Baker said, “nothing happens easily over here, but we are definitely making strides.”

Besides railroads, roads and bridges, electricity also is being restored, he said.

“When we flew in here nine months ago and flew over the city of Fallujah there were maybe 15 to 20 lights visible,” he said. “Now the main roads in Fallujah have solar-powered lights and there is generator power. When you fly over Fallujah now you definitely know you are flying over a city.”

Baker is scheduled to return from Iraq in February.