Opinion
Madison Marsh, a second lieutenant in the Air Force, became the first active-duty Air Force officer to be crowned Miss America last month. Now, the 22 year-old is opening up about why she made the decision to join the Air Force in the first place.
Marsh Reveals Why She Joined The Air Force
“I wanted to be an astronaut for about eight years until a year or two ago,” Marsh, who was Miss Colorado, told Fox News. “But then I discovered the Air Force Academy, and it immediately sparked my interest. Obviously, I don’t want to be an astronaut anymore.”
“When it comes to the Air Force, there’s the camaraderie, the family that is created out of joining the armed forces,” she continued. “It’s phenomenal. It’s something that I didn’t realize I was yearning for. I now have people all across the nation that I could call and would have my back just because of being in the military.”
“My path has changed significantly over the past several years – but it’s all been just wonderful,” Marsh explained.
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‘You Can Really Do Anything’
Marsh went on to say that she is hoping to inspire other women in the armed forces to follow their dreams.
“I love to think about all the women who have come before me,” she said. “I’m not the first person in the military to do something like this. I think about all the first women to join the Air Force, to fly planes, to fly in combat, to go to the Air Force Academy, who’ve taken chances. Now, I’m lucky to be a very small part of this history, to show other young women that you really can do anything.”
“Even if you don’t want to join the military, you can define those stereotypes, those boxes you put yourself in,” Marsh continued. “You can show the world what you’re passionate about and put everything else aside. There were times when the stereotype of a military woman who competes in pageants conflicted. Now, I’m able to break both of those stereotypes simultaneously. I hope to prove to all young women that you really can do whatever you want.”
Marsh also said that the Air Force has been nothing but supportive of her since she was crowned Miss America.
“They’ve been so excited and supportive,” she said. “One of my favorite parts of winning was having all of these military women reach out to me and say, ‘Now we feel more comfortable about displaying how you can be feminine and in uniform and still be taken seriously.’ That meant the world to me. It’s something that we might still struggle with today, but I’m really lucky we can now all be a part of it together and take down those stereotypes.”
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Marsh’s Goals As Miss America
Throughout her reign as Miss America, Marsh is hoping to inspire women all over the nation.
“For Miss America, I had my hair and makeup done, but that’s not the most important part of the pageant,” she stated. “Miss America is one of the largest providers of scholarships for women. I got over $70,000 in educational scholarships. That can be life-changing for so many women. … And to me, that’s the most beautiful part of the organization.”
“It’s not all about beauty here,” she concluded. “The most important part is having a passion to serve, the passion to lead in your community or your profession, learning the ability to speak eloquently about the things you care about. This is what Miss America is all about. … And I’m ready for it.”
It’s truly amazing to have a Miss America who is a member of the U.S. armed forces. We can’t wait to see what Marsh does with her reign as Miss America in the months to come!
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