Army Reservist Fights for Honor, Country... and a Crown

Steve Marcus / Reuters

On Sunday, June 5, 2016, a 26 year-old Army reservist who serves as a

Logistics Commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Fort

Meade was propelled into the national spotlight. First Lieutenant

Deshauna Barber didn’t pass the grueling Army Ranger course, she didn’t

outperform her male counterparts at an exercise designed to test women’s

grit and endurance, and neither was she promoted to a high ranking

post. Instead, she donned a sparkling golden gown and made what might be

one of the most compelling arguments for the full inclusion of women in

combat that this country has heard yet. She was named Miss USA.

At first glance, First Lt. Barber may seem unique as a pageant
contestant. But, she is not the first member of the U.S. Armed Forces to
compete for a pageant crown. In 2008, Army National Guard combat medic
and Afghanistan War veteran, Sargent Jill Stevens, represented Utah at
the Miss America competition. During her reign, she was an eloquent
spokeswoman for the strong parallels between the drive and
competitiveness of pageant contestants and those who dedicate themselves
to serving their country — women like First Lt. Deshauna Barber.