Hamilton RSA is no longer a boys club

Hamilton RSA’s newest president is used to a macho environment.

Jan Luttrell was once a crew member of the New Zealand Navy, and worked her way to become the first female commanders yeoman since World War II.

It’s no surprise then, that she’s now become Hamilton RSA’s first female president in a century.

Luttrell was bestowed the title in June and has had a good response from her fellow members ‘‘so far’’.

It is the first time in 101 years the Hamilton RSA has enlisted a woman as president, and Luttrell said it had been a long journey.

‘‘I’m please we finally got there after 100 years. When I first came to the RSA, they didn’t have girls, didn’t want girls,’’ she said.

Prior to taking the reigns, Luttrell spent 26 years on the RSA committee, dabbling in roles in welfare and support, and finance.

But her background was with the Navy. She is a former petty officer in communications.

Luttrell said joining the navy provided her an escape route from her hometown of Te Awamutu.

‘‘My father allowed me to do that. I wouldn’t have been able to leave otherwise.’’

Luttrell is now the secretary of the Royal New Zealand Naval Association, and joining the navy taught her the skills she’d need to take on future roles, she said.

‘‘It was really a boys club, too. There were 100 women, we weren’t allowed any more.’’

Luttrell has spent a lot of her life in the company of men. She said it’s been easy that way.

‘‘Men are more logical, and I guess I am quite logical, too.’’

Luttrell was reluctant to call herself a pioneer for women in the armed forces.

‘‘We’re all pioneers in our own way. We don’t always get it right but we try.’’

Hamilton RSA’s previous president put Luttrell’s name forward as his successor.

Luttrell feels she has the ability to modernise the thinking of the RSA in order for it to move forward.

A mix of young, fresh minds, as well knowledgeable members on the committee is essential to the club standing the test of time, she said.

‘‘They want to see things happen. They don’t want to wait five or ten years. We need to know where we’ve come from, but we need to where we’re going.’’