Veterans Day Spotlight: Meet Staff Sergeant Rudy Lechuga

Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, is when we honor military veterans of the United States Armed Forces for their service to their country. This Veterans Day, Global LT is thrilled to celebrate our in-house veteran, Rudy Lechuga, VP of Client Success.

Rudy enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves when he was 22, influenced by friends doing the same. He saw the benefits of what it could do for him in terms of schooling, the structure it could give, and what it could do for his career mobility and leaped into it. Not one to back down from a challenge, he joined the infantry in the Marines, wanting the pride of being able to say he did the hardest training to defend his country.

He chose the reserves because they allow him to be part of the military and provide structure for his family. Being in the military has changed Rudy’s perspective on life and how he goes about his days, and it’s also something for his three kids to be proud of.

Rudy joined just after the unit returned from deployment, so, unfortunately, he missed the first one. And after 6 1/2 years without a deployment, which is what he signed up for, he decided it was time for a change. He joined the Air Force Reserves as an Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) specialist and got his first deployment to Turkey in 2019.

Lechuga, during deployment in Turkey.

Responsible for ensuring that all flight and safety equipment is in perfect working order, AFEs make sure Airmen have the supplies necessary for any situation. Rudy’s job is to pack emergency items like parachutes and survival kits and maintain regularly used items like flight helmets and oxygen masks.

Rudy just passed the 13-year mark with the military and decided to re-enlist. He plans to do at least 20 years with the United States military, showing a real commitment and dedication to his country.

When asked if it was difficult to balance his professional civilian life with his military career, Rudy said, “Global LT is very flexible, knowing that you can be gone at any time. They’re always really understanding. They step in and handle my emails and clients while I’m gone and ensure everything is taken care of. It takes all the pressure off knowing I can fulfill both duties.”

The skills Rudy gained in the military transfer directly to his role as VP of Client Success. Everything he learned about leadership, adaptability, communication, teamwork, and a focus on mission accomplishment have set him up for success at Global LT.

“In boot camp, there are 100 people in the unit who have never met from different races, different religions – you have to get to know each other and figure out how to work together. It’s not that different from the relocation business – you have clients based all around the world, and you have to work together to figure out what they need and how to get it to them.”

Because Rudy has worked and trained overseas within different cultures and languages, it makes him the perfect fit for his role at Global LT. He recognizes that it’s important to respect and understand different cultures while traveling or relocating to another country, allowing him to better promote the value of culture and language training, which is at the heart of what Global LT does.

While each branch of the military has its own core values, they all center around duty, respect, and loyalty. Rudy exemplifies these traits through a commitment to his family, a focus on his civilian career at Global LT, and his dedication to serving his country. Thank you for your service, Rudy. And to all of the other servicemembers and their families, thank you for the sacrifice you make every day.

This blog post was written by Megan Tully, Marketing Manager.