KINGSVILLE, Texas — History was made this week in Kingsville at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2375 when they elected their first ever woman commander.
Kingsville native Ann Marie Torres will serve as commander for the 2019 - 2020 term.
Recently retired, Torres was part of the army reserves for ten years. Torres served in operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009-2010 at Camp Striker in Baghdad.
"Joy, excitement, unbelievable I guess," Torres said.
In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Kingsville native was elected to take command of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2375. Torres said the organization had helped her along the way.
"I cannot stress enough how much this organization has helped me... with my mental aspect, health aspect, they have been a wonderful group," Torres said.
When Torres deployed a single mother, she had to leave behind all four of her children.
"That was the most difficult part," Torres said.
Torres left her oldest 19-years-old daughter in charge of her other three children. It was through Torres strength she continued her tour and transitioned back home to Kingsville in 2011.
"I'm not going to say it was perfect, many things did happen... came back with many negatives, but my kids are my positives," Torres said. "Not every veteran is the same; we all have our individual stories."
Torres retired in December 2018 but has continued working with VFW and American Legion.
"These organizations do a fantastic job fighting for our veteran benefits," Torres said. "This is exactly where I need to be, and I want to be."
Being a commander is a way for Torres to continue her service without having to go overseas.
"I get to come back home to my kids, and I get to kind of work around some schedules to where I'm able to pick up my 15-year-old from school, go visit my daughter in Nebraska," Torres said.
Torres wants to recruit as many veterans as possible within the organization.
"It's time to start to start forming them to our kind of newer generation, but also maintain our mission that was originally started," Torres said.
Torres will serve as commander for Post 2375 for the 2019 -2020 term making sure its primary purpose to help veterans.