Gabriel (Gabe) Francisco Barela was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army in October 2002, beginning his military service as a 12B Combat Engineer. He completed both Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.  His first assignment brought him to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he joined Bravo Company, 326th Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division. Gabe deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 2003 to February 2004, and again from October 2005 to 2006. In his role as a Combat Engineer, he specialized in mobility and survivability operations—clearing minefields, building defenses, and supporting fellow troops under hazardous conditions.  Following his honorable service, Gabe returned to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical, Electronics, Engineering, and Communications Technology from ITT Technical Institute. He later completed a Master of Science degree in Data Science from the University of Denver.  In 2022, Gabe relocated to Los Lunas, New Mexico, and became an active member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Daniel D. Fernandez, Post 9676, continuing his lifelong commitment to service, camaraderie, and community.