Orlando VA’s Environmental Management Service: Army Veterans Share Their Mission of Care

But talk to the men and women who serve in EMS, and you quickly discover their work is about much more than cleaning; it’s about service, safety, and honoring fellow Veterans every day. 

For U.S. Army Veteran Aida Cruz-Valentin, service has always been a family tradition. Inspired by her father, who served as a cook in Vietnam, Cruz-Valentin decided to follow in his footsteps and join the Army as a cook. After dedicating 10 years in uniform, Cruz-Valentin found a new way to serve by joining the Orlando VA in 2019 as a program support assistant in EMS. 

“My dad was my inspiration to join the military, and after my service, I still wanted to help Veterans,” Cruz-Valentin expressed.  

Cruz-Valentin added, “Every day, my goal is to ensure they experience the best possible environment when they arrive here. 

Cruz-Valentin views EMS as far more than a housekeeping department. From laundry and linen services to surgical cleaning teams, as well as interior design and health aids. 

“EMS impacts nearly every aspect of the hospital,” states Cruz-Valentin.  

“Our mission extends beyond providing Veterans with fresh linens and clean spaces. It’s about ensuring their health and safety, not just appearance,” emphasized Cruz-Valentin.  

Cruz-Valentin said EMS Week, celebrated in September, is a time to highlight her colleagues, many of whom are Veterans themselves. 

“Most of our team served in the military, and now they’ve chosen to come back and serve again through EMS,” Cruz-Valentin said. “Housekeeping Week makes them feel recognized for the important role they play. They’re not just employees; they’re Veterans helping other Veterans.” 

For Col. (Ret.) Calvin Wimbish, who served more than 33 years in the U.S. Army, joined EMS as another way to give back after a lifetime of military service. The Special Forces, aviator, and military intelligence officer retired as full colonel but felt a calling to continue supporting fellow Veterans. 

“I’ve always believed cleanliness is next to godliness,” Wimbish said. “When Veterans walk into this hospital, they should feel welcome, safe, and cared for. That starts with the environment around them — and that’s our job.” 

Wimbish now serves as an EMS Ambassador, a program he helped launch alongside EMS Chief Tony Williams. The ambassador program ensures patients receive not only clean rooms but also respectful, personal interactions from the housekeeping team. 

“I go room to room, introduce myself as a fellow Veteran, and ask patients about their experience,” Wimbish said. “It’s not just about cleaning the space, it’s about making the Veteran feel like this is their home while they’re here.” 

Williams said, “that is the dedication to excellence that defines Orlando VA’s EMS team.”  

Williams continued, “From emergency response to infection control to patient satisfaction, EMS is essential to the Veteran experience. I’m proud of the way our team, many of them Veterans themselves, live the VA mission every single day.” 

Wimbish added that EMS is more than a job for his coworkers. 

“These are people from every walk of life, working around the clock,” he said. “Whether they have a high school diploma or retired as a colonel, they share one thing: a commitment to serving Veterans. That’s what makes EMS special.” 

As EMS Week approaches, both Cruz-Valentin and Wimbish agree the recognition is meaningful, not for themselves, but for the entire team. 

“Every time a Veteran enters into a sparkling lobby, sleeps on a fresh set of sheets, or recovers in a sanitized operating room, EMS has made that possible,” Williams said. “That’s what we do. And we’re proud of it.”

For more information, please visit: VA Orlando Health Care | Veterans Affairs, subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here, like us on Facebook at: @OVAHCS, follow us on Instagram at: @OVAHCS or on Twitter at: @OVAHCS.

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Established in October 2006, the Orlando VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) was designated a 1a facility (most complex) in 2021, with more than 5,660 employees and an annual budget of $1.5B and serves more than 131,000 Veterans in Central Florida. The Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona provides outpatient, inpatient and emergency services. Lake Nona’s 65-acre medical campus encompasses 134 acute inpatient beds, providing complex Medical/Surgical/Mental Health specialty care, advanced diagnostic services, and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic as well as a 120-bed Community Living Center, two Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs/Domiciliaries (60-beds located at the Lake Nona Campus and 58-beds at the Lake Baldwin Campus). Outpatient services are provided at a Health Care Center in Viera, a Multispecialty Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Daytona Beach, and five Community-Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Lake Baldwin, Kissimmee, Deltona, Palm Bay and Tavares.