“I believe being a military spouse is just as difficult as being a service member”
www.BootCampaign.org
“One of my biggest challenges since leaving the military was trying to keep the connection with the Army,” she recalls. “I lost my identity as a service member and didn’t know what I would do next. I had sacrificed so much time away from family, and now I felt left out. The hardest of all was trying to figure out what type of job I would like to do moving forward.” To find her civilian niche, Lucas returned to school, earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in global studies from George Mason University in 2013. During that graduation year, her husband sustained a non-combat related injury while deployed and Lucas spent approximately 27 days by his side during his recovery at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Washington D.C. Her experience of being on both sides of the healthcare system convinced her to dedicate her time and effort in becoming an advocate for veterans and their families. Lucas now works as an Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) case liaison at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story in Norfolk, Virginia. By definition, EFMP is a U.S. Department of Defense enrollment program that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services worldwide to American military families with special needs. Active duty service members enroll in EFMP when they have a family member with a physical, developmental, or emotional or mental disorder requiring specialized services so their needs can be considered in the military personnel assignment process. “ “After retiring and volunteering for many months, I decided to apply for one job only, EFMP case liaison, because I wanted to support families,” says Lucas. “On a daily basis, I contact families to see what needs or services they have at that time that I may be able to assist with.
I currently manage over 500 cases of Navy families who have individuals with special needs. I provide services and resources depending on the diagnosis.” While Lucas is now just as busy as ever, she still finds time to volunteer with Boot Campaign as a Veteran Ambassador. She was introduced to the Texas-based military non-profit by combat-wounded Marine Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Johnny “Joey” Jones, a fellow EOD technician with her husband Steve, who was involved with the EOD Warrior Foundation. Jones and his wife Meg, Boot Campaign’s current programs director, invited the Lucas family to volunteer in a fundraiser by participating in the charity’s PUSH campaign in Washington D.C.
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