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What Bowe Bergdahl can expect when he returns to U.S.

The longest part of his recovery will happen at a military hospital in San Antonio, where the staff has rehearsed for Bergdahl’s arrival every six months since he was taken hostage
Inside Bowe Bergdahl’s long road to recovery 02:15

Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is expected to be transferred at some point to a military hospital in San Antonio. CBS News spoke with another former hostage who's been through the treatment there.

The staff at Brooke Army Medical Center has rehearsed for Bergdahl's arrival every six months since he was taken hostage.

Marc Gonsalves went through what's called "reintegration" at Brooke in 2008.

"It's a very gradual, phased approach in trying to re-acclimate the person back to society, back to freedom," he said.

Gonsalves and two other American civilians were held for five years by Colombian rebels after their plane crashed.

"Coming back from that is not as easy as you would think. Especially when we're held in isolation that long," Gonsalves said.

"It's not as simple as, 'Hey, I'm free. Now I can go to McDonald's, drive cars.' There's a lot more to it than that."

The reintegration plan was first developed to help U.S. POWs returning from Vietnam.

The first two phases involve medical and psychological examinations, and interviews to get time-sensitive information about the enemy. Bergdahl has gone through part of the process overseas.

Bowe Bergdahl was held in solitary confinement 02:19

The final phase for Bergdahl's reintegration at Brooke will focus on giving him a sense of control over his life. Simple things - like deciding what he will eat, wear, and when he can go outside or sleep.

He will also slowly be reintroduced to his family.

"The first visit with my family was only about 45 minutes long, but by the time those 45 minutes were over, I was anxious, I was sweating, I had a migraine headache," Gonsalves said.

Because of that fragile state, Gonsalves says he was shielded from media reports for days after he arrived at Brooke. It's unclear whether Bergdahl has any idea of the uproar surrounding his capture and release.

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