After serving 19 years, Jackie Hunter learned last month that she would be national president of the Marine Corps League Auxiliary, the first to come from Missouri.
"I'm so proud I can't stand myself," she laughed.
Hunter credits her husband, David, who served 24 years in the Marine Corps, for getting her involved with the group.
"When I joined the league here and I never imagined what was in my future," she said.
Hunter said the purpose of the auxiliary is to support Marines and their families.
"We do a lot of civic work," she said. "We have a program on the national level that goes down to each unit called "Little Angel.' This program helps children who have had to be taken out of homes. We find a shelter and donate items to them and here it's the Rape and Abuse Crisis Service. We work with them every month."
Hunter's job as national president is making sure every unit is keeping up and doing this type of work.
"Our pride in the Marine Corps is what keeps us going," she said.
Hunter was installed on Aug. 9 after serving many years on the national board.
"It was not something that happened overnight," she said. "I deal with everything at headquarters in Virginia. Our national convention is out there as well. The fun part of job is going to the different states and meeting people that can't come to the national offices."
On this Veterans Day, Hunter will have breakfast at the White House and later attend the service at Arlington National Cemetery.
"There's a lot of traveling involved because we do try to touch as many people as we can," she said. "We have units in 48 of the 50 states. We are working to get a unit in Alaska, but we still don't have one in Hawaii."
Hunter was elected for one year, but may have a second year in office.
"In April I will go to Capitol Hill to lobby for veterans bills so it goes from that down to calling a Marine and seeing if he needs a ride to the VA Hospital in Columbia. Last year, nationwide the auxiliary provided 2 million volunteer hours at VA hospitals. There is so much we do that people don't know about."