(Reprint from the Signal News Archive)

Prior to coming to Fort Gordon in February 2007, Sgt. Edmundo Rivera could describe his experience with trying to heal and wade through the maze of military red tape as nightmarish.

"We had to do everything. We did not know what an SFAC [Soldier and Family Assistance Center] was," said Rivera, whose journey to Fort Gordon began several years ago and who is a success story for Fort Gordon's Soldier and Family Assistance Center.

Rivera joined the Puerto Rican National Guard 12 years ago because he wanted to serve his country.

He was activated with his unit and deployed to Iraq.

In October 2005, he was in a helicopter near Mosul when Iraqis fired on the craft. He was

hit by the bullets. The attack left him with a damaged left leg and spinal fracture.

After his injury, Rivera said he could have gone to Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but he was afraid the doctors would have amputated his leg. Instead he was assigned to Fort Drum, N.Y. and became a patient at a nearby civilian hospital.

Photo by Charmain Brackett Sgt. Edmundo Rivera sits with his wife, Gisela, and son, Matthew, who was born in Georgia. Both Rivera and his wife praised the care provided to their Family while he was recouperating from combat injuries. Wanting his wife, Gisela, and son, Eli, by his side during his recovery, Rivera worked to bring them from Puerto Rico to New York.

His wife contacted the Puerto Rican National Guard.

"The National Guard did not want to assume responsibility," he said. "They said he has to be dead or practically dead."

"I felt horrible," said Gisela, through interpreter Renee Brent of Fort Gordon's SFAC staff. "The National Guard unit was saying they could do nothing because he was active duty."

Rivera said he accumulated about $15,000 in debt during the year at Fort Drum, paying for plane tickets for his wife, paying for hotel rooms for her, buying a vehicle for her to drive to take him to his appointment and other expenses. The vehicle caught fire three days after he bought it. He put rental car expenses on a credit card.

He was assigned to World War II era barracks. Because of his injuries, he was unable to walk at first. The barracks had one bathroom, and it was down the hall.

Not only did he have physical injuries, but he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

His wife would tell him how he would talk in his sleep and relive the day he was shot. He would be giving the orders of getting in the helicopter. She was afraid for her safety.

Their son, Eli, was about two years-old at the time. He was distressed by the situation and would not speak.

When the commander learned of what was taking place with Rivera, he made arrangements to have Rivera sent to Fort Gordon.

By that February, his wife was seven months pregnant, and his left leg was still in a brace.

The three of them drove from Fort Drum to Fort Gordon. They slept in the car during the trip.

When they arrived at Fort Gordon, they expected much of the same, but they were wrong.

"When we came through Gate 1 on February19, 2007, it's the God honest truth, it was the first day we'd been able to eat a warm meal," he said.

The generosity of those around him was overwhelming, he said. People gave him furniture, clothing and other necessities.

And when the SFAC opened at Fort Gordon, Rivera received additional assistance such as a grant, and he was approved for the Traumatic Servicemember Group Life Insurance.

Master Sgt. Ira Turner, who is part of the SFAC staff, helped him get approved despite being turned down three times.

The SFAC has helped in other ways. When Gisela needed surgery, Brent asked if they needed help with child care.

And their son, Eli, who is now 4, recently started speaking with the help of a speech therapist.

The Riveras will head back to their native Puerto Rico on Wednesday, and Brent has already called ahead to coordinate their son's speech therapy and help make sure Sgt. Rivera continues to receive good care.

What was once a nightmare has now been replaced with happier memories forged with people at Fort Gordon.

"I'm sad to leave," said Gisela.