The Barracks Life

He grew up farming and breaking horses in a town of a few thousand people in Texaco, New Mexico. He graduated with 28 classmates, turned down a full-ride college scholarship, and walked into a Navy recruiter's office with one question: "Got anything where I work with my hands?" 25 years later, Frankie Ortiz retired as an aviation mechanic — having served on frigates, cruisers, and de...

What happens when a Navy sailor gets written up for nursing her baby in her car — and decides to fight back? Chief Quartermaster Joanna did more than push back; she changed the culture. In this episode, Joanna opens up about 17+ years of navigating ships across the world's oceans, raising three kids while serving, and discovering something unexpected in the middle of the open sea. Her story is...

Senior Airman Skylar Phillips takes us from the sun-soaked streets of California to military bases overseas in Italy and Spain, where he spent four years isolated from everything he knew during the height of COVID-19. Fresh out of high school and thrust into military life overseas, Skylar found himself battling more than just the challenges of service—he was fighting depression, anxiety, and a dar...

The Barracks Life - Episode 7: Networks and The Truth - Featuring Former IT1 Jyro Francisco What happens when the guy handling emergency action messages—the ones that "put warheads on foreheads"—discovers the most important message he'll ever transmit is the Gospel? Former Navy IT1 Jyro Francisco takes us from the rowdy "Club 159" bootcamp division to Pearl Harbor's mes...

From the island life of Guam to the skies above Fort Knox, Sgt. Frank Chaco’s journey through military service is a story of resilience, faith, and family. In this episode of The Barracks Life , host Sgt. Khit Lovan dives deep with Frank as they share memories of bootcamp, aviation missions, and the bonds that carry long after service. Together, they reflect on sacrifice, finding purpose, and how...

From hitchhiking the Pacific Northwest to welding aboard a Navy submarine tender in Italy — host Khit Lovan sits down with former Petty Officer Second Class Adam Nuncio as he shares the raw, real journey that reshaped his life. It's a story of transformation, accountability, and the quiet power of purpose. In this episode of The Barracks Life , you'll hear: How Adam went from hitting rock...

In this episode of The Barracks Life , former Marine Sergeant Charles Burd takes us on a powerful and personal ride through his military journey — from growing up in the housing projects of Oahu, Hawaii, to working on the iconic CH-53 Delta helicopters. Charles reflects on his faith, family, and finding purpose in uniform. He shares stories of heartbreak, boot camp breakdowns, life-changing deploy...

What does it take for someone with no military background, no family legacy, and no clear plan to step up and become one of the U.S. Air Force’s Defenders? In this raw and insightful episode, we sit down with Airman First Class Armando Sanchez — a young reservist who shares how a high school teacher, a passion for law enforcement, and a surprising mission trip led him down the path of military ser...

In this candid and deeply personal episode of The Barracks Life , former Navy SEAL and recent retiree shares his powerful journey from elite-level youth hockey player to one of America’s most demanding special forces roles. Through raw storytelling, he discusses the mental and physical rigors of SEAL training, the cost of combat, and the challenges of fatherhood, marriage, and faith — both during...

In this powerful first episode of The Barracks Life , host former Sergeant Khit Lovan sits down with retired Gunnery Sergeant Jose Manuel Valdez to unpack his incredible 20-year journey in the United States Marine Corps. From growing up in Tijuana and San Diego to serving aboard CH-53s—the legendary “Hurricane Makers”—Jose reflects on pivotal deployments, leadership moments, and lessons learned fr...