QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, Md. — For Chad Baker, the battle didn’t end when he left the battlefield. A Purple Heart recipient wounded during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Baker now leads DEWA Chapter 570 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart—a national organization composed of combat-wounded veterans.
Though the chapter was formed for Purple Heart recipients, Baker says the mission extends far beyond that.
“We legitimately help any veteran. So it doesn’t matter if you're combat wounded or not—we take care of everybody,” he said.
That commitment includes visiting veterans in nursing homes, delivering food and supplies to struggling families, and advocating for policy changes. But one of Baker’s biggest passions is helping veterans successfully navigate the often-confusing process of filing claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
It’s a mission born from personal experience.
“In 2003, during my deployment to Iraq, I was blown up,” Baker said. “I had a traumatic brain injury, a chemical burn—and I had no idea what to say when I first filed my claim. I went in saying I had headaches. I didn’t know the difference between that and migraines. I said the wrong thing, and I got 0%.”
Eventually, after coaching from a Veterans Service Officer (VSO), Baker learned how to speak the VA’s language. But he says many veterans never do.
“A lot of us aren’t educated in legal or medical terminology,” Baker said. “You go into that exam and say the wrong word—you could lose out on the care you need. That’s frustrating.”
That’s where Vet Mentor AI comes in. After teaming up with a fellow veteran advocate named Paul Hylenski, Baker joined the Vet Mentor AI team to make the claims process easier. The platform is designed to decode the complicated regulations in 38 CFR, the rulebook used by the VA to evaluate benefits claims.
“It’s not coaching—it’s education,” Baker explained. “We show you how to speak the language, how to prepare for a Compensation & Pension exam, how to write resumes, and even help build your LinkedIn profile.”
Thanks to Baker’s advocacy and partnership is Hylenski, the Vet Mentor AI platform is now available free of charge to all combat-wounded veterans.
But his service doesn’t stop with technology. As the Maryland Department Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Baker continues to push for policy changes on behalf of all veterans, especially those whose sacrifices are often overlooked.
“There are Vietnam vets still fighting for basic benefits,” he said. “They were the ones on Capitol Hill fighting for us to have better pay and better gear when we deployed. And now I see them getting denied left and right.”
That disconnect between service and support is what fuels Baker’s post-military mission.
“I didn’t ask to be a Purple Heart recipient,” he said. “But I carry that title for those who didn’t come home, for those still fighting the system—and I won’t stop advocating for them.”
Despite frustrations with the VA benefits process, Baker is quick to praise the care he’s received from VA medical facilities in Maryland, calling the doctors “legit” and “top-notch.”
“The health side of the VA has always treated me well. But too many veterans don’t separate the health side from the benefits side—and that’s where trust breaks down.”
So why does he keep doing it?
“I went to a veterans event and heard a retired general say, ‘When I got out, I didn’t know my why.’ That stuck with me,” Baker said. “My why is making sure veterans get what they earned—because someone fought for me before I ever wore this uniform. Now it’s my turn.”
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