Donated Vehicle Eases Stress Navy Veteran and Father of 5
PaulVincent Cuyugan was born in San Francisco, California, a month after his father – a sailor in the Navy – died in a car accident. He was an only child of a single mother, and the family struggled financially.
During high school and college, PaulVincent lived in the Philippines. There, he faced many harsh realities of life unlike any he had experienced in the United States.
“Living overseas, I learned to appreciate the United States more,” he said. “We have it way different than other countries.”
The experiences ultimately influenced PaulVincent’s decision to join the military and serve our country.
He enlisted in the Navy in 2012 and served 10 years as a hospital corpsman. He was assigned to the USNS Comfort and spent much of his career in the Pacific Rim. In 2017, He also deployed to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of hurricanes Maria and Matthew. He deployed to New York in 2020 as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response team in the early months of the crisis.
“Deployments took a lot of energy and caused mental stress, but they felt fulfilling in the end,” he said.
PaulVincent, a single father of five children ranging in age from 7 to 17, developed cardiac issues that were exacerbated by physical exertion. In 2022, he was medically retired and separated from service with an honorable discharge in 2022.
He lives with PTSD in addition to the ongoing heart condition.
For PaulVincent, as with many transitioning out of the military, becoming established as a civilian was challenging.
A fellow veteran helped him find a job after he settled in South San Francisco with his three sons – Kei 14; Yu, 13; and Vincent-Sora, 7 – and his youngest daughter, Rafael-Ai, 9. Daughter Aja, 17, lives with her maternal grandparents in Las Vegas, Nevada. PaulVincent also supports his disabled mother.
After going through family and financial challenges, he has struggled to find safe housing for his family.
Doctors recently recommended that PaulVincent stop working because the stress negatively impacts his health. He plans to go back to school to study health-care administration. However, the family doesn’t have a vehicle, and that complicates the process.
“I was spending 70 percent of my paycheck on rideshares and public transportation,” he said. Walking places in South San Francisco takes about 30 minutes, versus five minutes driving, and he must consider his health.
“(Veterans) lose a lot of things while we’re in the service. This makes me feel like we’re appreciated.” – PaulVincent Cuyugan, Navy veteran
“I have to make sure I go at a slow pace,” he said, adding that finding a safe route and one that avoids hills adds to the distance. “A flatter route will take 30 or 45 minutes compared to a 10-minute hike up a hill.”
PaulVincent was grateful to receive a 2024 Ford Explorer through Operation Homefront and U.S. Bank’s Driven to Serve program. It was the 28th vehicle U.S. Bank has provided to military families in need through the partnership.
Having ready access to a vehicle eases the stress of getting to medical appointments and taking his children to and from school. It also opens the door for him to find secure housing for his family.
PaulVincent expressed sincere appreciation for Operation Homefront and U.S. Bank’s Driven to Serve program.
“I’m grateful that you’re there and doing this for veterans,” he said. “We lose a lot of things while we’re in the service. We sacrifice family time and financial well-being, and we’re not guaranteed a good path after we serve. This makes me feel like we’re appreciated.”
