History was made at the March 23 meeting of the Ellsworth American Legion Post 174 when Melissa Taylor was elected the first female commander of Post 174.

“It feels good,” Taylor said in an interview the following morning. “I’ve had leadership experience for the last year as vice commander. It feels good to continue on the legacy of the Legion.”

Taylor is the 68th commander of Post 174.

“It feels great to be selected by the membership to continue with the Legion,” she said.

Taylor’s election as the first female commander of Post 174 has taken on added significance since March is National Women’s History Month.

“I haven’t really thought about it until right now,” she said. “Yes, it is significant that we, Ellsworth Post 174, voted in our first female commander in such a historic month for female veterans.”

Taylor said Post 174’s first female officer, Heather McClendon, served as post adjutant several years ago.

“She really laid the foundation for me to be the first female commander,” Taylor said.

Taylor also noted Tomasa Cisneros, Post 174 chaplain, laid that foundation for her as well.

“It means that our post puts faith in me and is able to see what I bring to the table for the future of the Legion,” she said.

Taylor said she has a couple of plans for Post 174 during her tenure as commander.

“My very first plan is to get back to the Legion tradition and to start practicing funeral details,” she said.

Taylor said Post 174 is doing a fundraiser in April to purchase new uniforms which will look more like the traditional Legion uniforms.

“I want to build those traditions and start our own traditions as well,” she said.

A veteran of the United States Navy with eight years of service, Taylor enlisted in 2001 during her senior year in high school under the Navy’s delayed entry program.

“I knew I was going to boot camp right after high school,” she said. “I graduated in May and two weeks later I was in boot camp.”

After completing boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Waukegan, Ill., 26 miles north of Chicago, Taylor attended Seaman Active-Duty Training School and was assigned to the Fleet.

Her first duty station was the command ship USS Blue Ridge based in Yokosuka, Japan, where she worked in the ship’s deck department.

Taylor then was stationed in San Diego, Calif., on the guided missile destroyer USS Bulkeley out of Norfolk, Va. There, she advanced in rank to Boatswain’s Mate Third Class Petty Officer.

Next, Taylor was stationed at the U.S. Navy facility in Gaeta, Italy, where she was in charge of security operations. She was then assigned to harbor operations in Mayport, Fla., where she received her honorable discharge in 2010.

“I was one of the lucky ones,” she said. “When they say ‘Join the Navy and see the world,’ I definitely did see the world in my eight years. My experience was different than everyone else; that was just the cards that I was dealt, and I played the best round of poker I could for eight years in the Navy.”

Taylor said the Ellsworth American Legion Post 174 has a good relationship with the community.

“I believe there is always room for strength,” she said, “and that’s why I’d like to come in and bridge some more gaps.”

Taylor noted bringing in the community to support the Legion’s fundraisers is key.

“Without the support of the community, the Legion really can’t continue,” she said. “We need the community’s support. We need other veterans in the community to come in and support us and to continue the Legion.”

Finally, Taylor was asked about the recent inability of America’s military branches to meet their recruiting goals.

“I would recommend anyone questioning their time after high school or in the workforce right now, if you’re even thinking about joining the military, now is the time to do it,” she said. “Eight years in, I was able to see the world, but the growth that I got from the military is in abundance, and it’s something I carry with me still to this day.”

Taylor said if anyone has any questions about joining the military, they should reach out to her.

“I will answer whatever questions I can,” she said. “I love the military. I love being a part of the military and I wish every young person to see what I got to see — male or female, it doesn’t matter. It was a great experience for me.”

Taylor said the military also offers a great educational incentive.

“I did my eight years in the Navy then I was able to pay for my college degrees,” she said. “I have two degrees paid for by the Navy. It’s something that you will never forget in your life if you go off to the military. I highly recommend it to anyone.”