The first ever

The photographs of 85 past commanders of American Legion Post 57 in Elgin show mostly white, older, bespectacled males.

Current Commander Rose Martinez is none of those things.

At age 46, she is among the youngest members of the Post, and only the third Hispanic, and the fourth woman to head it. She is the first-ever Latina commander of the 900-member post, established in 1921.

"There are a lot of older members who are like walking history, and that deserves respect," Martinez said. "The worst thing is that I come home smelling like cigarettes, and I don't smoke!"

First on her agenda is to make sure the group keeps clear financial records for all its expenses and activities, which include bingo, lunch for $4 to $7 Tuesday through Friday, "spaghetti night" and "fish fry night," all open to the public, she said.

"The hardest thing is hearing, 'But it's always been done this way!'" said Martinez, who was elected in late June.

Fellow members say that Martinez has the right temperament for a position that requires considering points of view and at times making decisions that don't please everyone.

"There are some commanders that speak before they think, and that's one of her strong points -- she weighs all her statements really carefully," said Post Jr. Vice Commander Paul Pompa, who served as commander in the past.

Martinez indeed comes across as someone who is not easily rattled.

On a recent August afternoon, she babysat a cousin's children in her Elgin home and responded to their frequent interruptions with a gentle, almost nonchalant tone.

"I love kids," she said. "I have nieces and nephews and 10 godchildren. I baby-sit and spend time with them, but then I take them back."

Martinez works as a distribution clerk at the post office on Grove Court in Elgin, her employer for the past 21 years. It was through someone at work that she found out about the American Legion, open to military personnel on active duty and those who served during war years.

Martinez graduated from Elgin High School in 1978 and enlisted in the Army in December 1980. She qualified for membership in the American Legion because of the 1983 U.S. invasion of Granada.

Trained in hospital combat support, she spent six months in Egypt, six weeks in Germany and a year in Korea. Being stationed in such faraway places was a tough experience at times, but also deeply enriching, she said.

"I always tried to mingle with people and get to know them, because when else am I going to have a chance like this?" she said.

By the time she left the Army in late 1985, she had made the rank of sergeant. She decided not to re-enlist because she missed home, she said.

Martinez's close-knit family still spends Sundays at her parents' house and even takes trips together. "We went to Florida, there were 17 of us total," she said. "We told people it wasn't a reunion, but a vacation."

In addition to her American Legion duties, Martinez is active in a postal workers' union and has coached girls' volleyball and basketball. "I am single, but I have a full life," she said, laughing.

Anyone interested in joining American Legion Post 57 should contact Sr. Vice Commander Normal Bellows at (847) 741-2358.