National Guard veteran continues service as a deacon

Friday, Nov. 07, 2025

SALT LAKE CITY — Service has been a way of life for Joaquin Mixco, first as a member of the U.S. Army National Guard, and now as a deacon.

A member of the Judge Memorial Catholic High School Class of 1985, Deacon Mixco joined the Utah Army National Guard in 1990. He enlisted for the money, he said, “but after I got recruited, we went to war.” 

In January 1991, shortly after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, and a few hours after his daughter was born, Deacon Mixco was sent to Saudi Arabia for training. 

He entered Officer Candidate School in 1992, was commissioned in military intelligence and became a Special Forces communications officer. In 2002 he became a full-time quartermaster officer, and in 2007 he served a yearlong tour as a liaison officer in Baghdad, teaching Iraqi Special Forces how to be officers. 

“Through this service I lived many challenges, and so did my family,” he said, referring to the fact that he was frequently absent from home and missed many special moments such as birthdays and school celebrations. “I always did it with an agreement with my wife and my kids.” 

Although it was difficult, “I reflected on it and thought that besides helping my country I was serving the community,” he said.

Throughout his time in uniform, his faith increased every year, he said. He recalls reading the Bible one day and coming across Matthew 7:9-11 – “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

From this, “I learned that taking care of myself was taking care of my family,” Deacon Mixco said.

Looking back, he sees that “God always made himself present in our lives,” he said. He and his wife were married on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and his daughter was born on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. “She is my Bethlehem star, so despite not being very religious back then, God has always being present through it all,” he said.

In the Army, Deacon Mixco had the opportunity to serve a lot of different people. 

“After the war people were devastated, and we lent a hand to help restore communities,” he said. “There I felt my commitment to minister to the People of God, no matter the language, the color of the skin, the religion that they profess – the message was and always has been helping.”

He followed up that commitment by becoming a permanent deacon for the Diocese of Salt Lake City. He was ordained in 2017, one year before he retired from the military. He now serves at St. Martin de Porres Parish in Taylorsville as well as in the diocesan Prison and Detention Ministry. 

After 28 years of military service and eight as a deacon, “if I can continue sharing my strengths and willingness, my faith, I will continue doing so with lots of joy,” Deacon Mixco said.