NTAG Nashville’s Sailor in the Spotlight

U.S. Navy story by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Samuel Osborn, NTAG Nashville Public Affairs.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Naval Aircrewman Mechanical 1st Class Enrico Baker, the senior enlisted classifier at Military Entrance Processing Station Nashville, was selected as Navy Talent Acquisition Group Nashville’s July Sailor in the Spotlight.

For Baker, serving as a classifier is more than just a job – it’s a way to help the next generation of Sailors begin their legacy. Baker has been proudly serving in the Navy since 2007 and is now using his passion for the Navy and helping others to inspire the next generation of Sailors.

“My life’s mission summed up is legacy preservation,” Baker said. “That’s what I help people do every day in the Navy. Everyone who walks through this office raises their hand to defend our way of life and preserve the legacies of everybody in the United States – what a great honor. This job helps remind me of when I began my Naval legacy at a MEPS just like this one.”

Baker was motivated to join the Navy so he could travel the world.

“I have a thirst for knowledge, experiences, and wanted to immerse myself in different cultures,” Baker said. “I grew up with the thought that I was just one character in my own story, but I was also walking past a whole bunch of other stories that are being written. Following those chains backwards and seeing the chain move forward is quite an adventure that I enjoy and the Navy has given me the opportunity to meet new people every day and hear their stories.”

Baker feels attending the Royal International Air Tattoo was the highlight of his travels with the Navy.

“My crew in 2011 was invited to the largest air show in England, the Royal International Air Tattoo which allowed me to visit and explore Europe,” Baker said. “I enjoyed it so much that I take personal travel back whenever I can. While on that first trip to Europe I got to explore the Tower of London and see how they painstakingly try to preserve their history. In the rooks of the Tower, they had carvings behind plexiglass, it took me to the thought of who created it. Did it ever cross their mind that centuries later someone would be stopping to admire their craftsmanship?”

The experiences in Europe motivated Baker to start his own business.

“The long flights following my time in Europe gave me the opportunity to plan it all out in my head,” Baker said. “That is when I decided I needed to help preserve people’s legacy’s and give them an opportunity to reignite the ember and story of their loved ones. The way I do that with my business is by building shadow boxes, I see it as a way to give back to the community of servicemembers that helped me to grow into the man I am today, and allows me to sit down and listen to very unique stories.”

Baker finds joy through his passion of learning people’s stories.

“The most fulfilling part about being a classifier is getting to hear their individual story and to watch them start their legacy and make such a profound voluntary change in their life,” Baker said. “Knowing they are setting off on the beginning of a brand-new chapter of their life where they will find new parts of themselves and sharpen their skills fires me up.”

Baker believes that uniformed service is preserving and protecting the legacy of every American. “Next time you’re walking through your neighborhood, take a moment to look around, then close your eyes and just listen” Baker said. “The laughter of kids in the park, the smiles of passersby, it’s an incredible thing and that’s because of you, you have a part in those stories whether they realize it or not – you are protecting their stories.”

NTAG Nashville spans 138,000 square miles and includes 36 Navy recruiting stations across Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia. The command consists of more than 200 recruiters, support staff, and civilians working together to find the next generation of Sailors for America’s Navy.

For more information contact your local recruiter by calling 1-800-284-NAVY, visit www.navy.com, https://www.cnrc.navy.mil/Nashville/ or follow us at http://www.facebook.com/navyjobsnashvillemusiccity, www.instagram.com/ntagnashvilleusn