Michael Baker is a U.S. Army Foreign Area Officer with a focus on Europe and Eurasia. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a degree in Foreign Affairs and Slavic Studies, Michael served in a variety of positions in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. His experience includes two tours to Afghanistan as well as six months in Ukraine with the U.S. Embassy. His primary areas of interest include Russia, the Balkans, and the countries of Eastern Europe, and he is particularly interested in understanding the evolution of Russian influence in those nations.