Why one Veteran’s resilience remains unshaken

From one battle to the next, including four types of cancers linked to his time at Ground Zero, Eliot Winokur’s resilience has remained unshaken.

The retired, Army lieutenant colonel is a competitive swimmer and a cancer warrior; he has faced each day with the same discipline and determination that defined his 35 years of military service. 

Swimming isn’t just a sport for him—it’s his lifeline. Three times a week he races against the clock in the local swimming lap pool, covering a mile and a half per session.

For over 40 years, Eliot has been a competitive swimmer, a passion he credits to his late brother.

“My brother was a competition swimmer, and he got me into it,” he recalled. “He passed away from Parkinson’s at 79, but I keep a picture of him in my bedroom that motivates me to keep going. I pick events that older folks stay away from, like the 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter butterfly. There’s not much competition, and I enjoy the challenge.”

“The military gave me discipline and focus,” he continued. “It taught me to pick a goal, stick with it and achieve it. That mindset is what’s helped me keep going through every health challenge.”

His service spannws both active and reserve duty. He started as an Army security agency cryptanalytic specialist and later became a medical service officer, spending seven years recruiting doctors for the Army Reserve. As a former recruiter for Army Reserve doctors, he understood the qualifications of VA medical professionals better than most.

“I know their credentials, their backgrounds, and their expertise,” he added. “It’s a great system, and I wanted all my records in one place whether at the Bronx VA in New York or West Palm Beach VA. That continuity is critical, especially for someone with a lot of medical issues. If you take care of things early, you’re far better off than waiting until it’s too late.”

With every swim, every breath and every fight, Eliot Winokur proves that resilience isn’t about surviving, it’s about thriving.