Mr. Craig R. Baker has been a fighter subject matter expert and systems engineering specialist at Rickard Consulting Group, Inc. (RCG) since July 2021. Effective September 1, 2025, he assumes the role of President at RCG. He graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Craig is a command pilot with over 3,000 flight hours in the F-16 and F-22 aircraft. He served multiple combat tours in the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Southeast Asia, and was an instructor at the US Air Force Fighter Weapons School (“Top Gun”). His command experience includes leading the 8th Fighter Squadron “Black Sheep” at Holloman Air Force Base, NM; the 180th Fighter Wing “Stingers” at Toledo Air Base, Toledo Express Airport, OH; and the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. His final military assignment was Vice Commander of the 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ.

Craig holds two Master’s degrees: a Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence from the National Intelligence University, Washington, D.C., and a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA. Additionally, he completed leadership seminars at the Air Force Enterprise Executive Leadership Seminars, Kenyan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC. He retired from the US Air Force with the rank of Brigadier General.