First active-duty Miss America reflects on year

The extent to which 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh had discovered herself in uncharted army territory turned clear at a NASCAR occasion in February, the place her dual-hat duties required her to execute fast modifications between her Air Pressure fight utility uniform and full pageant regalia.

Her schedule had her assembly the Air Pressure Thunderbirds demonstration workforce after which a group of army generals earlier than shifting to a extra typical Miss America crowd-greeting public look on the race.

Marsh, 23, who will full her 12 months as the primary active-duty Miss America in January, stated she realized a level-setting dialog was so as as she scrambled to evolve to wildly completely different look requirements in speedy succession.

“Clearly, the Miss America individuals, they don’t know Air Pressure uniform requirements, so nobody is aware of, ‘Oh wait, you possibly can’t put on lashes and an extended big ponytail and pink lipstick and eyeshadow in uniform,’” Marsh stated. “And it’s like, no I can’t do each of these directly.”

Eyelashes apart, Marsh, a 2023 U.S. Air Pressure Academy graduate and Truman Scholar whose subsequent plans contain a examine program at Harvard, discovered a mutually useful approach to serve out her twin identification in 2024. In conversations that started when she was topped Miss Colorado in Might 2023, she started to plan out together with her chain of command the way it is perhaps possible and sensible to serve out a possible Miss America position whereas on energetic obligation.

“I do know lots of people from all throughout the nation, on many alternative bases, needed to pour in plenty of time after I had received,” she stated, “determining the authorized logistics of what that is truly going to appear to be and attempting to take a look at a few of the Air Pressure memos and the way we are able to actually make this work.”

Finally, the Air Pressure moved her right into a extremely custom-made public affairs place, constructing off her present slate of public engagements for Miss America to conduct outreach for the service and generate consciousness and curiosity in becoming a member of the army.

Since she received the title in January, Marsh stated, she’s participated in 106 Air Pressure-related public engagements involving conversations with college students, dad and mom and different “influencers” to advertise army service.

“We’ve actually discovered a tremendous approach to overlap each of those jobs to be sure that we’re nonetheless hitting the usual and reaching the individuals within the setting that we wish to attain,” she stated.

Marsh’s grueling journey schedule hasn’t allowed for a lot of typical army actions and experiences in what is actually her first active-duty position. Marsh’s time spent on base at her dwelling station, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, she stated, has largely consisted of obligatory actions, together with drug testing, medical appointments, conferences with commanding officers and efficiency evaluations.

Sometimes, she stated, she’s gotten acknowledged by different service members whereas operating errands in utilities and a ballcap. Whereas she enjoys making the connections, she stated, it’s additionally a little bit tense given the looks requirements and necessities for Miss America.

“Even final week, I used to be doing my outprocessing for my base and confirmed as much as work with no make-up,” she stated. “And one of many individuals who labored on the entrance was like, ‘Oh, we’ve received to get the key.’”

Even sans make-up, she stated, she agreed to a gaggle picture with the workplace employees.

“Everybody at all times has the chance to do small issues for different individuals and make their day,” Marsh stated. “So, that’s been cool, to present individuals pleasure like that this 12 months.”

Even other than her high title in one of many nation’s most prestigious pageant competitions, Marsh’s achievements and aspirations show her fearlessness.

She’s had internships with prestigious organizations resembling NASA; turned an activist for pancreatic most cancers analysis at age 17 following the dying of her mom from the illness; has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do; and possesses a pilot’s license, which seeded her preliminary ambition to fly for the Air Pressure.

Marsh instructed Navy Instances her expertise in army coaching needs to be an encouragement to younger ladies who worry they couldn’t hack it in uniform or at struggle.

Polling knowledge made public by the Protection Division in December confirmed that only one in 4 ladies aged 16 to 21 imagine they may make it via boot camp, and simply 8% imagine they’ve what it takes to combat in a struggle.

“Once I entered fundamental [training] I used to be 17 years previous. I used to be on the cheer workforce in highschool. I used to be very scrawny … possibly 110 kilos,” Marsh stated. “I labored very onerous the 12 months earlier than I went into fundamental to verify I used to be going to go above and past the requirements that have been going to be anticipated of me, and in addition having the psychological resilience to maintain going while you fail. I feel that willingness to be taught goes to hold individuals a lot farther, and in addition not closing your self off from alternatives.”

Reflecting on her experiences as a Truman Scholar and her upcoming research on the Harvard Kennedy Faculty, Marsh famous, “I by no means would have gotten that if I might have counted myself out earlier than I even confirmed as much as fundamental.”

After Marsh fingers off her crown, she’s headed to Hanscom Air Base, Massachusetts, the place she’ll full her ultimate year-plus of research to earn a grasp’s of public coverage from Harvard beneath the Air Pressure Institute of Know-how’s Civilian Establishments program.

Along with her fiance additionally within the Air Pressure, Marsh stated she plans to proceed to serve, although she’s not absolutely sure how lengthy she’ll be in or what army profession she’ll pursue. Whereas she initially joined via a want to be a pilot, Marsh stated she has dominated out a return to flight coaching, including that she needs to discover a service job that she’s “absolutely keen about.”

“The Air Pressure has handled me extraordinarily effectively to date,” she stated. “So, I can solely think about what different alternatives are going to be in retailer.”