From Combat to Calling: How Chris Jung Found Faith and Fatherhood

In this deeply moving episode of Domestic Dad: Cleaning Up The Mess, host Nick Barnett sits down with Chris Jung, a military veteran, husband, and father, for an emotional journey through war, trauma, healing, and redemption. Chris opens up about his deployment to Afghanistan, the loss of a friend in combat, and the invisible wounds of PTSD that followed him home.

From the adrenaline of firefights and close calls with death, to the heartbreak of watching a friend’s life taken in an instant, Chris shares the harrowing reality of military life with raw honesty. But the battles didn’t stop when he came home. Like so many veterans, Chris found himself trying to survive civilian life with trauma he didn’t know how to process—turning to alcohol to numb the pain, isolate, and escape.

What followed was a hard-fought climb toward healing. Chris talks about the darkness of suicidal thoughts, the moment he picked up the phone instead of the gun, and the powerful role his wife played in helping him face his demons. Their story of love, resilience, and faith is a testament to the strength of community and the power of accountability.

Nick and Chris dive deep into the challenges of marriage after trauma, the lessons learned through fatherhood, and what it means to break generational cycles. Chris also shares how he’s turning pain into purpose—leading his family with intention, serving on his local fire department, and giving back through his business, Stuff Etc. in Waterloo, which is donating 10% of Father’s Day sales to the Domestic Dad Project.

This episode is a must-listen for veterans, parents, and anyone navigating trauma, grief, or the long road to becoming the person they were meant to be. Chris’s story is a reminder that no matter how broken you feel, healing is possible—and you are never alone in the fight.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

01:10 Childhood Memories and Challenges

04:49 Struggles with ADHD and School

13:21 Reconnecting with Estranged Father

21:10 Joining the Military

24:53 Deployment to Afghanistan

30:35 Patrolling the Sangar Valley

31:27 The Tragic Loss of Donny

33:25 Dealing with the Aftermath

36:28 A Lighter Mission

36:59 Unexpected Firefight

40:16 Battle of Dab