The star of “That ’70s Show” remembers the “sobering” moment of his encounter with a wounded soldier

As a USO global ambassador, Wilmer Valderrama has met hundreds of military personnel in his travels, but one encounter with a wounded soldier has stuck with him over the years.

The actor, who many still know as Fez from “That ’70s Show”, has written his new memoir: “An American Story: Everyone’s Invited”. In it he describes his childhood in Venezuela before moving to Los Angeles and becoming a star in Hollywood.

In the book, the 44-year-old describes how he traveled with General James Cartwright to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany in 2007 to visit injured patients. There he came face to face with a soldier recovering from his injuries. He woke up but had not yet opened his eyes.

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Wilmer Valderrama made his first USO tour to Germany in 2007. (USO)

“It was sobering,” Valderrama told Fox News Digital, noting that being in that room was “like standing on sacred ground.”

“This is a trauma hospital,” he explained. “Our soldiers have combat experience. And here I was walking through these rooms and talking to them. … I realized how incredibly brave and incredible our men and women are. Even when they are wounded, they are so proud to have served.”

When the soldier realized he was standing in front of a four-star general, he tried to raise his hand in salute.

Here, Wilmer Valderrama is seen meeting with military personnel in Vaernes, Norway. (USO)

“Relax,” the general said quickly, as quoted in Valderrama’s book. “You have made our country very proud, son. Your new mission is to go home and get well.”

Then the soldier turned his head and saw Valderrama. He was stunned.

“Fez?” he croaked.

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Wilmer Valderrama’s memoir, An American Story: Everyone’s Invited, is now available. (Harper Selection)

The moment was funny but also “humiliating,” Valderrama said. Although the soldier was in pain, he told the general, “I just want to get back to my boys.”

“It reminds you that your job (as an entertainer) is to provide a level of serenity that allows that healing to happen and to bring them a piece of home,” Valderrama said. “That’s your job as an ambassador … to remind them that we’re thinking of them, that we miss them, that we’re so proud and that we can’t wait for them to come home.”

According to the book, the soldier’s unit had been hit hard. He didn’t know that he was probably the only survivor.

Wilmer Valderrama visited countries such as Poland, South Korea, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Greenland, Bahrain and Iraq with the USO. (USO)

“These soldiers are so proud to put their uniforms back on,” Valderrama recalled. “I wasn’t surprised, but it touched me deeply. These people who wear the uniform are taking an oath, and it’s to this country. The idea is that they are making the ultimate sacrifice because they are proud that our flag is still flying at the end of the day. That touched me so much. It humbled me so much.”

“It was in those moments that I realized, ‘How can I serve my country?’ ‘How can I help those who are out here securing our freedom?'” he said. “It’s something that’s incredibly important to me.”

Here Wilmer Valderrama is seen entertaining troops in Afghanistan. (USO)

The “NCIS” actor said he has completed nearly 60 deployments and tours for the USO. His travels have taken him to countries around the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Greenland and Bahrain, as well as a ship at sea. He also actively participates in events for military members, raising awareness of the needs of our military. His involvement has also helped educate Americans on how they can give back to veterans in our communities.

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“In those moments, I realized, ‘How can I serve my country?’ ‘How can I help those who are out here securing our freedom?'”

— Wilmer Valderrama

The USO’s mission is to help the men and women of the U.S. military and their families. The organization was founded in 1941. (USO)

Valderrama said the call came to him on Sept. 11, when he was in his early 20s. He thought about what he could do as an entertainer to give back. The answer later became clear to him.

“I was walking through an airport and saw these two young men in uniform,” Valderrama recalled. “One of them said, ‘Sir, permission to speak to you.’ I said, ‘Permission granted.’ But he said, ‘Man, after a long day of doing what we do and watching your shows and movies, it helps us just have a moment of levity.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, are you guys watching my stuff?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, there’s a network on all the bases that shows entertainment. That’s how we keep up with what’s going on.'”

Valderrama immediately called his agents.

Wilmer Valderrama said he has completed nearly 60 deployments and tours with the USO. The mission continues for him. (USO)

“I said, ‘Hey, I heard that the military has different networks around the world where you can watch American movies and series. Wouldn’t it be fun if I just went there and said, ‘Hey, what’s going on? I’m in Iraq,'” said Valderrama. “My agents then told me, ‘There’s an organization called the USO that does this kind of thing.’ They introduced me to the USO and immediately, within a week and a half, my flight to Germany was booked.”

Wilmer Valderrama said the American dream means “giving something back.” (Michael Mueller)

“During my USO tour, I thought, ‘This isn’t just supposed to be a handshake tour,'” he continued. “I wanted to bring comedy. I wanted to give them something that would make them laugh. I wanted to bring them levity. So I came and brought a comedy show. We also did karaoke. And just seeing their faces, hearing their stories, seeing them laugh so hard or just hearing them sing – that was a moment that touched me so much. It just seems so simple to me.

“They thanked me for coming. I said, ‘No, no, no – I’m here to thank you.’ It was a funny exchange, but I was thrilled. I said to myself, ‘I have to keep coming back.’ I’ve never had the privilege of wearing the uniform. That’s the closest I can get to serving my country at this moment.”

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Wilmer Valderrama was born in Miami but grew up in Venezuela, where he lived from the age of three to thirteen. (USO)

There were many other moments that stuck in Valderrama’s mind. He described meeting an 11-year-old in Miami and how he encouraged the boy to pursue his dreams as long as he worked hard. He later met the fan again, who is now a young man serving in Bahrain.

“It’s moments like these that make you stop and think about what you’re leaving behind,” said Valderrama, the father of a 3-year-old girl. “Sometimes people have two or three minutes of your time for the rest of their lives. What two or three minutes would you like to give them?”

For many, Valderrama is living the “American dream.” For him, however, that dream is “to pass something on.”

“Service is a part of my life,” said Wilmer Valderrama. (USO)

“For me, the American dream is being able to give back after this country has given me so much in so many ways,” he said. “I think the American dream is an idea, an opportunity. But really, the American dream is a path that only you can walk. Only you can put in the time to get closer to the goal, right? And I think what makes this country so beautiful is that if you want to dance, it will dance with you.”

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“If you come here, commit to giving back to your country and work hard, then anything is really possible,” he said. “Those are the ingredients. … And the only way to move forward (in this country) is to understand what we all want to achieve or fight for. That’s what brings us together.”

“How can we continue to walk the same path together? This is a moment when we should be enchanted by the idea that we can wave the same flag together.”