CDR Cove retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1977, after 34 years of active service. He joined the Royal Canadian Legion in 1978 as the volunteer Service Officer of the Victoria Remembrance Day Committee Poppy Fund Service Bureau, advocating for Veterans. Ex-Service members, their widows and dependents, plus providing social assistance in time of need, retiring in 2004 after 26 years of dedicated volunteer service to his fellow veterans and their families.
During this same period CDR Cove formed the Victoria Veterans Care Society in August of 1985 with local representative directors from the Army,Navy and Air Force Veterans Unit 302 ,Air Force (Pacific) 800 Wing Association, Chief and Petty Officers Association, Hong Kong Veterans Association, Naval Officers Association, Royal Canadian Legion and the Victoria War Amps.
As President of the Veterans Care Society, with the dedicated support of these Victoria Veteran organizations , he was successful in obtaining Federal and Provincial funding for the planning, development , design and construction of the Lodge At Broadmead, now home to 115 Veterans and 110 Seniors from the greater Victoria Community. Was appointed by the Provincial Government as Chair of the Building Committee for the new facility then served as a Director of the Tillicum and Veterans Care Society the Board of Goverance for the Lodge At Broadmead
CDR Cove was awarded the Naval Officer Associations Bronze Medallion, the Commemorative medal for the 125 th.Anniversary of the Confederation Canada, Life Member Royal Canadian Legion and Honorary Life Member of the Tillicum and Veterans Care Society for exemplary and significant contribution to Compatriots, Community and to Canada.