Photo By Sgt. ZaBarr Jones | U.S. Army Capt. Joshua Baker, a 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC) G8...... read more read more
HONOLULU - For an everyday athlete, the regimen of training day in and day out is rigorous and trying. For an athlete in the military, it can seem downright insane at times. However, the amount of effort and patience that goes into training your body, managing your diet, paying for trips around the world to compete, etc., can be more improbable for the average Soldier.
Improbability doesn’t necessarily mean impossibility to U.S. Army Capt. Joshua Baker, the 94th Army Air and Defense G8 Budget Analyst.
“I did four Ironman events and two running races last year.” said Baker. “The first two Ironman events I qualified for the Ironman World Championships and also the Ironman Half Championship.”
Baker has been pushing himself to the limit for as long as he can remember. From running and swimming in college, to serving as a volunteer firefighter, and even throughout his military career, he has always engaged in activities and sports that would test him both mentally and physically.
“I swam in college and tried to become a firefighter. They told me that I needed either three more years at the volunteer fire department or military service. So, I walked over to the Army recruiting stationed and joined,” said Baker. “That was 17 years ago.”
At 22 years of age, Baker joined the Army as an infantryman.
“I enlisted in 2008 and served as an infantryman for eight years with my first duty station being at Fort Polk,” said Baker. “Two of those years were spent in ROTC at the University of Hawaii (UH) – Manoa.”
At this point in his career, Baker decided that going the officer route and changing his military occupational specialty (MOS) was a better suited path for him. After graduating UH, Baker became a transportations officer for the 173rd Airborne Brigade, located in Vicenza, Italy.
“Changing from a combat MOS to a support MOS was just different,” said Baker. “Changing the way you act, the way you are. It wasn’t a big moment, but it was a change.”
“Change” seems to be a common thread throughout the life and career of Baker, but the transitions haven’t been easy ones. In the past, Baker has had to adjust his training and nutrition to cope with different curve balls thrown his way while still trying to maintain his athletic lifestyle.
“There are some definite drawbacks. I got hit by a car and broke two ribs. That’s adversity right there,” said Baker. “Coming back from that…that was the fourth time I was hit by a car. Didn’t break bones before but I did go unconscious.”
Baker continued.
“Training can be dangerous but also nice,” said Baker. “There are places you can train and there aren’t many people which makes it nice.”
With as much as Baker has going on in his life, he makes sure he takes the time out needed for his training. However, it’s not just because he feels that he must or that he has committed himself to something. His drive to excel as a triathlete is measured by more than that.
“You must love it. I don’t know whether it’s the training or comradery, but I train with a great group of guys,” said Baker. “No matter where you go you will find people to train with and beating my personal record or friends feels great!”
Baker is almost 40 years old but has accomplished a lot more than other people his age. From college athletics to serving his country, both as a civilian and in the military, to being a two-time triathlon world championship competitor, he seems to have done enough to just sit back and reminisce.
That’s just not Baker’s style though.
“I am almost 40 and I am running the fastest I have ever run before,” said Baker. “When I look back at my time and how I have been doing this, I have learned that training and nutrition are a constant process in helping to fuel your body to go even faster.”
Constantly on the move, Baker doesn’t see an end to his competing anytime soon.
“This year, I am moving to go to school for two years. I will be in Syracuse, New York for a year and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas for a year,” said Baker. “Over these next two years, I want to qualify for some of the world’s major marathons, like the ones in Boston, New York, and even in Chicago.”
While completing first may be a goal for Baker, it’s not his main one. Qualifying and competing on the world’s stage is it…for now.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2025 18:26 |
| Story ID: | 493943 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 17,841 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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