WASHINGTON \u2014 American Legion members elected their first female national commander on Thursday, the second woman this month to take over the top leadership role of a major national veterans organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Denise Rohan, an Army veteran active in the Legion for 32 years, will oversee the nation\u2019s largest veterans membership organization for the next year. The Iowa native and longtime Wisconsinite becomes the public face and most prominent policy advocate of the 2.4 million veteran members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe all know the American Legion is at its best when we work together as a family,\u201d she said during her inaugural speech to Legion members during group\u2019s convention in Nevada Thursday. \u201cAs we continue to have troops deployed across the globe, the American Legion family will stand tall next to our heroes and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rohan\u2019s election comes three weeks after Army veteran Delphine Metcalf-Foster took over the top leadership post at Disabled American Veterans, becoming the first female national commander in that group\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That makes 2017 the first time year ever that two of the largest veterans groups \u2014 traditionally dominated by male leadership \u2014 will feature women atop their organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Army vet Mary Stout served as commander of Vietnam Veterans of America from 1987 to 1991, but none followed over the next 25 years. But as the number of women in the ranks have grown in recent years, veterans organizations have followed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Three years ago, the American Legion named Army veteran Verna Jones the first female executive director in the organization\u2019s century of operations. Earlier this year, officials at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America promoted Army veteran Allison Jaslow to the same post. Army veteran Marsha Four has served as vice president of Vietnam Veterans of America since 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rohan spent two years in the Army, working in the quartermaster corps. Along with her American Legion work \u2014 she has served a host of local and state leadership roles in recent years over three decades \u2014 she also held various roles at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and volunteered with the family readiness groups of several Wisconsin Army National Guard units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fellow veterans praised her as a \u201ctrue leader\u201d and a dedicated servant on behalf of veterans issues. She said she will have a theme of \u201cfamily first\u201d for the upcoming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\t