▁Army ▁National ▁Guard ▁while ▁still ▁in ▁high ▁school . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁while ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Florida ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁Baker ▁was ▁deployed ▁to ▁Ira q ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom . ▁Baker ▁served ▁as ▁First ▁Serge ant ▁of ▁Al pha ▁Company , ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion , ▁ 1 2 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment , ▁which ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁protect ▁a ▁log istic ▁base ▁near ▁Bal ad . ▁The ▁area , ▁north ▁of ▁Bag hd ad , ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Sun ni ▁Tri angle , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁dangerous ▁areas ▁in ▁Ira q . ▁During ▁his ▁deployment , ▁Baker ▁faced ▁numerous ▁close ▁calls : ▁in ▁one ▁instance , ▁a ▁mort ar ▁round ▁hit ▁a ▁bus ▁full ▁of ▁soldiers . ▁The ▁base ▁Baker ▁was ▁station ed ▁at ▁was ▁under ▁constant ▁attack ▁by ▁mort ar ▁fire ▁and ▁ro cket ▁fire . ▁On ▁his ▁last ▁day ▁of ▁deployment , ▁a ▁miss ile ▁land ed ▁in ▁the ▁camp ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁expl ode . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁state ▁or ▁federal ▁elected ▁official ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁Operation ▁Ira qi ▁Fre edom ▁while ▁also ▁holding ▁elected ▁office . ▁Baker ' s ▁colle agues ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁tied ▁a ▁yellow ▁rib bon ▁around ▁his ▁chair ▁on ▁the ▁House ▁floor , ▁which ▁remained ▁in ▁place ▁until ▁he ▁returned . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁Florida ▁Legisl ature ▁un anim ously ▁passed ▁House ▁Bill ▁ 1 7 5 7 , ▁the ▁Care y ▁Baker