Alan T . Baker Rear Admiral Alan T . Baker , USN , born in Santa Ana , CA , 1956 , is a retired American Navy officer who served as the 16th Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps from 2006 to 2009 . Chaplain Baker was the first graduate of the United States Naval Academy and former Surface Warfare Officer to serve as a Chaplain Corps Flag Officer . Following his military career , Baker served as Directional Leader at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church , a 4 , 000 - member , multi - campus church in the San Francisco Bay Area , from 2010 to 2012 . He is currently principal of Strategic Foundations , providing teaching , coaching and advising organizations on vision development and implementation . Biography . Alan " Blues " T . Baker graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy in 1978 and reported to USS " Brooke " for his first sea tour . He returned to the Naval Academy in 1981 as an instructor in the Department of Professional Development . Answering the call to ministry in 1984 , Baker transferred to the Naval Reserve while attending seminary . Graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 1987 , Baker was ordained by the Reformed Church in America and recalled to active duty as a Navy chaplain . His first Chaplain Corps assignment was as a Ship ' s Chaplain of USS " Richmond K . Turner " in which he deployed to the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Earnest Will escorts of reflagged Kuwaiti tankers . Baker reported for service with the United States Marine Corps in 1990 . During combat operations to liberate Kuwait in the first Gulf War , he provided ministry in the field to the Marines and supporting units of Marine Aircraft Group 11 . In 1992 , Baker began three years on staff at the Naval Chaplains School as primary instructor and administrator for the Chaplain Basic Course providing initial training to newly commissioned Navy Chaplains . Following a tour as chaplain with the United States Coast Guard in New York ( 1995 to 1998 ) , Baker was ordered to the Staff of the Chief of Navy Chaplains in Washington , D . C . where he served as Branch Head of Chaplain Corps Professional Development . In 1997 Baker received a Doctorate from Gordon - Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts . He has an additional professional subspecialty in Education and Training Management . In 2001 , he reported as Command Chaplain of USS " Harry S . Truman " with additional duties as Carrier Strike Group Chaplain in Operation Enduring Freedom . In 2003 , Baker assumed duties as Senior Chaplain Corps detailer at the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Millington , Tennessee where he was responsible for worldwide assignments of chaplains throughout the Sea Services . In 2004 , thirty years after arriving as a Plebe , Baker returned to the United States Naval Academy as Command Chaplain , where he was responsible for religious support to the 4 , 300 - member Brigade of Midshipmen as well as management of the Academy ' s historic chapels . In 2006 , Baker was promoted to rear admiral ( lower half ) and became the 16th Chaplain of the Marine Corps , succeeding Rear Admiral Robert Burt , who was promoted to become the U . S . Navy ' s Chief of Chaplains . In 2006 , Baker attended the Executive Business Course at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey , California , and in 2007 , received an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Grove City College in Pennsylvania . In 2009 , The Navy Times reported that Baker would not be nominated for a second star or be promoted to the position of Chief of Chaplains based on a determination of the Navy ' s Inspector General that he " reprised against " his former Executive Assistant during the Chaplain Captain promotion board held in early 2008 . The Chief of Naval Operations Adm . Roughead described Baker as a “ man of character , integrity and honor ” in a four - page memo dated June 19 . In 2010 , Baker joined the staff of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in the newly created role of Directional Leader . In this role , Baker partnered with Senior Pastor John Ortberg in casting and executing the vision for the church , which has locations in Menlo Park , San Mateo , and Mountain View , CA . Baker is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for Public Service and Policy Development at Nyack College , Washington DC campus , serving in an advisory role on leadership studies . As principal consultant with Strategic Foundations , he also teaches , coaches and advises organizations on vision development and implementation . Awards and decoration . Chaplain Baker ’ s personal decorations include : See also . Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps