n The first female national commander visited Post 29 on Tuesday.

"Family first" was the theme of Denise Rohan's speech at the American Legion Community Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

Rohan, the first female National Commander of the American Legion, spoke to a group of about 75 people as part of her national tour, which included 12 stops in a four-day sweep through Arkansas. Rohan began the 10-week tour on Sept. 12. She'll head to Missouri next and also will visit South Korea before getting to return to her home in Verona, Wis., over Thanksgiving.

In addition to Post 29 members and legionnaires from nearby posts in Lincoln and Gravette and as far away as Mountain Home, attendees included several city and community representatives. Mayor John Mark Turner even made a proclamation declaring it "Denise Rohan Day" in Siloam Springs.

It was the second time a national commander has visited Siloam Springs in Post 29's 98-year history, according to post commander J.W. Smith.

"She's an awesome, awesome leader and an amazing speaker," said Smith, who served as the Arkansas Chapter's commander last year. "This is not the first time I've heard her speak and I've always been so impressed by her and her presentation."

Rohan's speech began with a story about a phone call she received from her mother during basic training in Alabama. As with most new to the military, Rohan was having a difficult time making the transition from civilian life to "people yelling at her" on a daily basis.

"I heard her voice and I started to cry," Rohan said. "She helped me understand that the women I was in basic training with were like sisters and that we were taking care of one another like a little family.

"She basically told me to 'suck it up butter cup.' But I really did understand that and we really did take care of one another and became like a family."

Rohan left basic training for a base in Fort Lee, Va., where she met her husband, Mike Rohan. They then moved around different bases all over the country and developed strong relationships with fellow military members that became "like little families" at every stop.

"A lot of you are nodding your heads," Rohan said to the audience. "So you understand that we all have brothers and sisters across the nation. Those of us that served together are a family."

When military personnel in war zones are asked what they need to help do their jobs better, Rohan said "they always say 'take care of my family.'" It doesn't matter what branch with which one served, Rohan said it's the job of the American Legion to make sure military personnel and their families are taken care of after their official duty is done.

Rohan said finding a job is a major issue because "unemployment leads to homelessness and it leads to those terrible suicide rates that we talk about," so she has been working with governor associations from around the country in hopes of finding a remedy.

"What we are trying to explain is when our military personnel gets trained, the government pays for that training," Rohan said. "So they are well-trained and well-disciplined, and that training should be able to convert easily to state licenses and certificates that they should be able to use to get jobs in their home state when they get home.

"And military spouses who transfer from one base to another, shouldn't their licenses that they have in one state be just as good when they get into another state?"

Rohan said military veterans have "something special in your hearts" to help this nation and believes that doesn't end after "taking off your uniform," which is a major part of her vision for putting families first.

"I'm asking you to take a little piece in you and give it to someone else," Rohan said. "Every moment that you actually spend on American Legion activities is actually a statement of faith. You believe in what we stand for.

"Thank you for what you stand for and thank you for putting our nation's families first."