Rafael enlisted in the US Navy on July 23, 1990 attending basic training in Great Lakes he went on to Hospital Corpsman A school followed by Field Medical Service School in Camp Lejuene, NC before arriving at his first duty station the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda MD. He then went on to the Fleet Surgical Team 3 (FST-3) in San Diego CA. where he made two Western Pacific deployments first aboard the USS Tarawa LHA-1 (1992) and then aboard the USS Peleliu LHA-5 (1994). Then he was moved to the Naval Medical Clinic Long Beach, where deployed to Guantanamo Bay Cuba in support of the Cuban Exodus (1996). His final stop brought him home to the Earle Naval Weapons Station in Colts Neck NJ. Here here was assigned as the Administrative  / Supply Leading Petty Officer, as well as assigned to the USNS Comfort deployment platform. His service came to an end on July 2, 1998 when he was hired as a Police Recruit with the Elizabeth Police Department in Union County NJ. where he continues to serve as a Lieutenant in the Patrol Division. Rafael has been married to his beautiful, wife Barbara for 20 twenty years and has 2 amazing kids Isabella and Gabriel.