After 65 years, Big River VFW Post 5331 in Cedar Hill has its first female commander – Eva Maloney.
She said her election to the post’s top spot in June caused no ripples among the membership, which includes 197 men and five women.
“Being a woman hasn’t been an issue since I was voted in as post commander at Big River VFW,” she said. “I have not run into any old-school philosophy of ‘women don’t belong here.’”
The Big River post, 1 Lynn Lane, opened in 1957 and Maloney is its 39th post commander.
Maloney, 53, said she feels much more accepted these days around military personnel than when she was in the military.
“I was in the Army from 1988 to 1995,” she said. “When I got out, I was E4, a specialist. I was in Desert Shield/Desert Storm. I went in right out of high school.
“I was an operating room specialist. Basically, a scrub tech, assisting the surgeon in surgery. (Women) were definitely outnumbered by men. There were some who didn’t like that women were there.”
Maloney said she served at the 41st Combat Support Hospital during the Gulf War in the Middle East.
She said sexist thinking was prevalent while she was on active duty, which she found puzzling.
“I was assigned to the 24th Infantry division,” she said. “I had to reassure the men – at least a lot of them – that I was there to save lives and the life I saved could be theirs.”
Maloney said after enduring that sexism, she appreciates the acceptance she has felt at Big River VFW as a member, and now as post commander.
“They’ve been very accepting, very welcoming,” she said. “They’ve encouraged me to go up the ranks and into a leadership position.”
Maloney said she had not thought about pursuing the post commander spot until others encouraged her.
“I was approached to see if I had any interest,” she said. “I’ve been active in the post. I’ve been a member here for four years.”
Among her supporters at the Big River VFW is Dan Brown, formerly a commander at the post and currently a VFW district commander.
“Eva is a hard-charging, results-oriented person and just ideal to be a commander of a VFW,” Brown said. “We treat all our commanders as comrades, regardless of male or female. That’s the way life is supposed to be everywhere.”
Alan Gendron, president of the post’s Auxiliary, also speaks highly of Maloney.
He said the Auxiliary is made up of VFW supporters who never served overseas, although they may have served in the military.
“Since she’s been here, she’s been a tremendous asset, very active,” Gendron said. “We looked forward to her taking over as post commander.”
Maloney said her military experience translated well when she transitioned into her civilian life.
“I work in the cardiac catheter lab at Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County,” she said. “I’m the cardiac catheter lab coordinator. I can use what I did in the military in my job.
“Before this, I worked in surgery. I was the surgical business manager for 22 years at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Ill.”
She and her husband, Kelly Maloney, live in Hillsboro.
Maloney grew up in a military family.
She said her grandfathers, an uncle and a cousin served, as did her father, retired Army Master Sgt. Johnnie Oakley, 78.
“I’m a military brat,” she said. “I was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on a Navy base.”
Maloney said her family eventually ended up in Cahokia, Ill., and she graduated from Cahokia High School.
Her father and mother, Sandra, 74, still live in Cahokia, but her dad became a member of the Big River VFW.
Maloney said she encourages all who qualify to join a VFW or other military fraternal organization.
“The VFW means a lot to me,” Maloney said. “What I enjoy the most is the camaraderie. This is a home away from home for a lot of veterans, and the support we give each other is just remarkable.
“You can be having a bad day and someone here will lift your spirits. It could be someone listening to you or lending a shoulder to lean on.”
To be eligible to join a VFW, a person needs to have left the military with an honorable or general discharge (under honorable conditions) and have served in a war, campaign or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters.
Gendron said the Big River post means so much to its members that the Auxiliary makes sure it opens each day.
“We don’t close, even on Christmas,” Gendron said. “Members of the post or the Auxiliary serve as bartenders while the staff is off.”
Maloney said the Big River VFW is active, but she would like to see it play an even larger role in the community.
“We do a lot for the community,” Maloney said. “Our most recent event was our Fourth of July celebration. It was free to the public to see our fireworks display. We also do a golf tournament sponsored by the Auxiliary. The money raised goes to veterans’ causes.
“I’d like to try some more community activities. We started a new flea market-farmers market here. We hold it most Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will go through October. There already was a farmers market in Cedar Hill, but it was looking for a new venue. We offered the VFW facility. It’s flourished since it’s been here.”
Maloney said the post’s chicken dinners draw a lot of people to the post.
“We are known for our chicken around here,” she said. “We do chicken fries twice a month.”
She said the post Auxiliary also is involved in community service.
“Our Auxiliary is very active, very strong,” Maloney said. “They support the post’s activities and have their own activities. We both do activities to support the community.”