The Mission Never Ends: From Combat Boots to Serving Those Who Served
By Collin Durant, Public Affairs Specialist
For Retired Chief Master Sergeant George “Steve” Cum, service has never been just a chapter of life, it’s been the entire book.
From leading airmen on the flight line to mentoring Veterans navigating life after the uniform, his dedication has spanned decades, continents, and countless lives touched.
After more than three decades of distinguished service in the United States Air Force, Steve continues his mission as, a Strategic Planner for the Orlando VA Healthcare System (OVAHCS).
Steve’s path to the military began with inspiration close to home. Growing up, his godbrothers served in the Air Force. Their experiences ignited his interest and provided a clear alternative to going straight to college after high school. In 1989, while still a junior, Steve entered the delayed enlistment program and later shipped off to basic training in February 1990.
Over the next 30 years, his assignments spanned the globe: from Bergstrom Air Force Base in Texas, to San Antonio, to Hurlburt Field in Florida, to Las Vegas, Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, Germany, and ultimately the Pentagon/Defense Health Headquarters. As a combat medic, who specialized in special operations, Steve deployed extensively across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe supporting missions from post 9/11 operations in Afghanistan to multinational training exercises around the world.
One of his most profound experiences came shortly after the September 11 attacks. As a forward deployed combat medic with no doctors or nurses in reach, Steve was tasked with making critical life or death decisions on the battlefield. The experience reshaped how he viewed training, instilling in him the importance of preparing troops not only physically but psychologically for the realities of combat.
His greatest challenge, however, was internal, which to him was building his self-confidence to trust his training and execute independently in high stakes situations. “Once I got the hang of it, it became more natural,” Steve reflects. “It was about proving to myself I could do it.”
To this day, the lessons he carried forward remain clear, “tough times don’t last, but tough people do.” Military life taught him to adapt, persevere, and maintain perspective through challenges qualities that continue to guide him today.
Though Steve can be found a few doors away from the executive offices at Orlando VA Medical Center, he makes it his personal mission to apply his operational expertise to connect Veterans with resources and ensure they are informed about their benefits. Outside of his day to day, he is particularly passionate about improving the transition process for service members leaving the military. “When you join, you have a recruiter guiding you. When you retire, you get a checklist,” he notes. “We need that same level of guidance at the end of service.”
Choosing the VA over potentially lucrative private sector roles was a deliberate decision. “As a medic, I’ve always enjoyed helping others whether on the battlefield or in leadership roles. This was my way to continue serving my brothers and sisters,” Steve says.
For Steve, being a Veteran means placing country above self, sharing a bond forged through sacrifice, and honoring those who came before. His advice to younger service members is simple, “think early about life after service, take advantage of educational and special duty opportunities, and embrace experiences that push you beyond your comfort zone.”
And his message to fellow Veterans is simple but powerful: “Share your story.” By keeping those stories alive, Steve believes Veterans preserve the legacy of service for generations to come.
About the Orlando VA Healthcare System: Established in 2006, the Orlando VA Healthcare System is one of the leading healthcare systems serving more than 142,000 Veterans in the VA Sunshine Health Care Network offering healthcare services at 11 locations serving east central Florida. Recently recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the healthcare system received 5 out of 5 stars in overall hospital quality. The healthcare system has also been given 5-star recognition for patient experience by Becker’s Hospital Review and was awarded the 2024 Patient Safety Program of Excellence designation from the Veterans Health Administration’s National Center for Patient Safety.
To learn more about the facilities and services offered by the OVAHCS, please visit: VA Orlando Health Care | Veterans Affairs, subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here, like us on Facebook at: Orlando VA Healthcare System | Facebook, follow us on Instagram at: Orlando VA Healthcare System (@ovahcs) • Instagram photos and videos or on Twitter at: @OVAHCS / Twitter.
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