Fayette County has another reason to be proud as Major General Phillip “Cain” Baker recently assumed command of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker, Alabama—placing a Georgian at the helm of the institution responsible for training and developing the future of Army Aviation. Major General Baker assumed command from Major General Clair Gill during a change of command ceremony at the Army Aviation Museum on August 26, 2026. The ceremony was hosted by Lieutenant General James P. Isenhower III, commanding general of U.S. Army Combined Arms Command. A graduate of Fayette County High School and Auburn University, Baker was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Aviation Branch in 1996. During three decades of service, he has built an extraordinary record of leadership in both combat and institutional assignments. His career has included service with some of the Army’s most storied formations, including the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and 1st Cavalry Division. Baker deployed in support of operations in Kosovo, participated in the initial invasion of Iraq, and later conducted combat operations in Afghanistan. His command assignments have included the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Baker later served at the highest levels of the Department of Defense as Principal Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense from 2018 to 2021 and subsequently as Deputy Commanding General for Support…
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