My year as Miss America proves joining the military doesn’t mean losing yourself

When I became the first active-duty member of the military to win Miss America, I thought it was just a flashy headline. Sure, it sounded exclusive, but I didn’t view it as groundbreaking. I was not the first woman to join the military or graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy. I was simply doing what I loved. I thought it would be “fun.”
I entered the pageant, first for Miss Colorado, while attending the academy, so part of my motivation was to practice my public speaking in a real-world environment, and another part of my motivation was to give myself temporary breaks from my rigid military lifestyle. Then … I won.
From my point of view, I did not rewrite history or alter the course of military culture as many news sources reported. But in reflecting on my year as it comes to an end, I think I did something simpler, yet maybe more meaningful: I provided hope to a generation of young people. I provided hope for those who have lofty goals but feel limited by their perception of what “type” of person they are. I showed people that the only limitation to your goals is the amount of work you put in.
When I think back on the year, which ends Sunday when a new Miss America is crowned, one moment in particular sticks with me: I was back at the Air Force Academy, visiting for Parents’ Weekend to support my sister-in-law, who is now a cadet. As I walked through the library, a freshman approached me with her mother. She asked if I was Miss America, and I said yes.
The cadet shared that, earlier this year, she had been on the fence about accepting her appointment to the academy. She was not sure if she could bring her whole self into the military, unsure if she would have to sacrifice parts of her identity to succeed. Then she saw me win Miss America. That moment convinced her she could do it too – that she could serve without losing herself.
For her, seeing someone thrive in the military and in the world of pageants showed her that she would not have to give up her personal identity. She could be herself and still find success by focusing on hard work over mere assimilation into the military culture.