Quantico’s FMEAP Program Specialist Loves Connecting Spouses with Employment Resources
Lucy Arruffat understands the challenges of navigating military life as an active duty Marine married to another Marine.
Now retired from the Marine Corps, Arruffat has worked as a program specialist in the Family Member Employment Assistance Program (FMEAP) for the past two years. She has relished the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with military families.
“I take pride in contributing to their personal and professional growth,” she said.
Military spouses face unique challenges in achieving their career goals, Arruffat said. The frequent moves make it hard to advance, and some employers are reluctant to even hire them because they know the spouse would likely be a short-term employee.
“I definitely feel their pain,” Arruffat said.
Her empathy for her clients drives her to do everything she can to mitigate the challenges the spouses encounter.
Financial stability for military families is an important aspect of mission readiness. When Marines do not have to worry about their families making ends meet, morale and performance improve. She saw it happen firsthand when she was an active duty Marine.
FMEAP offers spouses support and connects them with resources.
Arruffat said she frequently helps spouses polish their résumés and navigate applying for federal jobs.
FMEAP offers workshops, including Résumé Writing, Networking101, Ten Steps to a Federal Job, and the Spouse’s Transition and Readiness Seminar (S.T.A.R.S). Arruffat said FMEAP really encourages spouses to sign up S.T.A.R.S. because a Marine’s transition to civilian life affects the entire family.
Spouses also can benefit from the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program, and licensure reimbursement.
Arruffat’s favorite part of working in FMEAP is the one-on-one connections she makes.
A client was struggling to find a job even though she had previously worked in marketing for a major global brand.
Because English was not her first language, interviews were difficult, Arruffat said. She helped the client revise her résumé and connected her with local job fairs and MSEP. The client landed an interview and was hired by a large company.
Today, the client is doing well and thriving. When her spouse was transferred to Japan, the company kept her on in a remote position.
“She was one of my first clients,” Arruffat said. “So it was a learning experience for me.”
Something that has remained unchanged is the feeling Arruffat gets when clients tell her they got a job. “That makes my day.”