XENIA — Marjorie Roehm had a really good reason for joining the Marines almost right out of high school.

“I like green better than (Navy and Air Force) blue,” the 98-year-old said from the dining area inside Legacy Village’s assisted living building. “(And) I just liked the Marine Corps.”

Roehm, who served from 1942-46, is among the 25 Legacy Village veterans who will be honored for their service today during a 12:30 p.m. Veterans Day program. As the oldest living veteran living at the campus, Roehm will receive the flag flying on the grounds when it’s retired at the ceremony.

“I’m very honored,” she said.

When asked for her secret to staying alive so long, Roehm was rather matter-of-fact.

“I don’t know,” she said. “It just happened.”

Roehm was stationed in Arlington, Va., but she was never sent overseas despite having a pilot’s license. She worked nights as the head of officer’s files.

“It was really interesting. They would tell me their name and I would have to get all the information,” she said. “They wanted to see their files.”

With her days free, Roehm spent lots of time sightseeing.

“I went to see every monument in Washington, D.C,” she said.

After her service time was over, Roehm was still active and accomplished a lot.

“Oh gosh,” she said. “I taught school. I went to college. I was an art teacher.”

Roehm attended Murray State in Kentucky on the GI Bill, met her husband, Leslie (Bill), and was married in April 1948. A Dayton native — she graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1941 — Roehm taught art in Kettering until she retired in 1981.

But she never really retired from the Corps.

“Once a Marine, always a Marine,” she proudly said several times. “I’m very happy to have been in the Marine Corps.”