Back in high school, Jolene Lu was searching for educational opportunities outside of a traditional college. Influenced by her parents who both served in the United States Army and a United States Air Force recruiter’s visit to her school, Lu’s decision was made simple.

She officially joined the Air Force in August of 1996, serving as a Communication and Navigation Systems Journeyman through August of 2000. During her time in the military, Lu worked as a specialist on C-130H Hercules aircraft assigned to the 40th Airlift Squadron at Dyess AFB, Texas.

This experience was pivotal for a number of reasons. First, it proved just how strong Lu was, both physically and mentally. For example, she completed basic training and excelled academically in her technical work maintaining radios and navigation systems on the aircraft. Secondly, she overcame the stigma of being a woman in a maintenance career field in the military, which often came with comments that she wasn’t strong enough or able to do what the men could do.

“The military is not for everyone,” Lu explained. “You have to be strong mentally and physically to handle all the stress, tests, and still perform your duties at the highest level. To be able to go through it all and commit to the process takes a lot, but for me, it was so worth it.”

Lu’s time in the United States Air Force also gave her the ability to work in different environments and with people of all different backgrounds. These particular skills were crucial when she moved to Florida in 2019 and later took a job with the LPGA in 2021 as a Financial Accounting Analyst. Despite having very limited knowledge of both golf and the industry, Lu knew she could quickly adapt to this new arena, and she did more than just that.

After spending nearly two years in her finance role, Lu moved from the office to the course, taking a Player Services Coordinator position with the Epson Tour.

“I have a strong numbers background, but I found myself wanting to gain more exposure to the game,” Lu said. “So, I took a chance and applied to the Epson Tour. When I got the job, a whole new world opened up for me. I love being out at tournaments, talking to volunteers on-site, and working with our team to support our world-class athletes.”

With a schedule of 19 events plus the LPGA Tour Qualifying Series, Lu now spends a majority of her year on the road. This type of job isn’t for everyone, but again, Lu’s Air Force experience has prepared her for this, and also spending weeks apart from her husband.

The two of them met in the United States Air Force, and Lu has supported him since then, as he rounded out his service career at 24 years. During their time together, the two have lived in several states, as well as Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom, so this is nothing new for the pair.

“In the military, we moved every four years and traveled a lot,” Lu explained. “So, I think with all the travel on the Epson Tour, it doesn’t affect me as much as it might with others. I’m personally used to the travel and not seeing my husband every day. We’re both very supportive of each other, which goes a long way in each of us achieving our goals.”

Looking back on her career, Lu credits much of her success to those four years spent in the United States Air Force. Not only did she meet her husband through that experience, but she gained valuable skills such as teamwork, discipline, integrity, and structure, which have applied to each role she has taken since then. And more than that, she appreciates her time spent serving the United States.

“It feels good to be a military veteran, and I definitely have that sense of pride having served my country. Being in the 1% of the entire U.S. population who have volunteered to serve our country on Active Duty status, it feels amazing to be a part of that small group.”