Posted on 11/23/2007 2:31:43 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Soldier Journals Her Run at Miss America
Nov 19, 2007
BY Beth Reece
 Sgt. Jill Stevens of the Utah National Guard is a top contender for the 2008 Miss America competition, which takes place Jan. 26. Catch print and video coverage of Sgt. Stevens' journey through pageantry and the Army's ranks at www.army.mil/gijill Photo by Beth Reece |
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 19, 2007) - One of the Army's own will take a shot at the "Miss America 2008" title Jan. 26 in Las Vegas and a new Army Web site that goes live today will follow her progress.
A combat medic and Miss Utah 2007, Sgt. Jill Stevens is a member of the Utah National Guard's 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment. She will chronicle her preparation and competition in the Miss America pageant at www.army.mil/gijill.
The pageant will be broadcast live on TLC, and a new reality series will air the night before to help viewers get to know each of the 52 contestants. Sgt. Stevens will also be featured in the cover story of the December issue of Soldiers magazine.
Sgt. Stevens had just started nursing school at Southern Utah University in the fall of 2005 when the school's pageant director recruited her to run for Miss SUU.
"I was like, 'Yeah, right.' I wear combat boots; I don't do heels," she said.
But the chance to serve and help others - much like she does in uniform - through politics and community, attracted Sgt. Stevens to pageantry. That year she won Miss SUU and went on to become second runner-up in the 2006 Miss Utah pageant.
"At that point I was done," she said. "I had learned so much about myself, and it was great that, as a Soldier, I'd made it so far." But friends urged her to go for the crown.
"I knew Jill could win. She's so multifaceted, and many of the girls are one-dimensional," said Sharlene Wells-Hawkes, a former Miss America and recent judge. "Her whole life story sets her apart from others. She's a renaissance woman."
As Miss Utah 2007, Sgt. Stevens travels the state and across America to spread the word on emergency preparedness. She also gives motivational talks to students about her slogan, "Lock and Load," which she translates to "Be ready for anything and make every moment count." And last month she visited Soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and ran the Marine Corps Marathon.
Sgt. Stevens joined the Army National Guard six months before 9/11. Two years later, she deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, where she cared for 10 to 40 Soldiers a day at the medical aid station.
It was in Afghanistan that retired Sgt. 1st Class Lee Porter predicted Sgt. Stevens would one day be Miss America, a year before she considered entering a pageant. "She's an all-around amazing girl, the type of person who's going to make a difference in people's lives," he said.
The divide between Soldier and beauty queen, beret and tiara, evening gown and Army combat uniform, is not so vast to Sgt. Stevens.
"To me, they go hand in hand. The military wants people to get an education, to be fit and, above all, to serve. It's the same with Miss America. They also want you to be educated; they also promote fitness; and the biggest part is service. Both teach you to be leaders."
Which title best suits her?
"Oh, definitely the Soldier," she said. "I show up to my Miss Utah events in uniform. In parades, I'm in uniform instead of an evening gown to show that this is who I am."
Sgt. Stevens' journey through pageantry and the Army's ranks will be featured in the December issue of "Soldiers" magazine, available at www.army.mil/publications
This is refreshing. There are young women out there who are not vapid. Remember that once beauty contestant a few months ago whose verbal ramble boggled the mind.
A woman after my heart
I wonder if they would consider creating a bikini holding an M4 portion of the Pageant??
Sargents didn’t look like that when I was in.
Her performance in the talent portion of the pageant is called “terrorist killing.” She will lose out to someone who plays protest songs on a kazoo.
The title you created was not the title at the source. Also the content you posted did not line up with the link and source you cited. All had to be changed.
You can avoid having your threads pulled in the future while helping reduce duplicate threads by only using the original published title and by supplying the correct working link which goes to the article.
Thanks.
http://www.army.mil/-news/2007/11/19/6164-soldier-journals-her-run-at-miss-america/
Did you see something else at the source above?
Both the above link and the new link you provided have the same article.
I am confused.
Or is there a restriction for using .mil link?
If so, I will try an alternative link.
Nice post.
I think I’m in need of medical attention.
You mean she doesn’t make house calls?
Drat!
ping....
Alright. I am about to commit anathema, and thus I have to state that I do not mean what I am about to say in any bad way. It is just a question/comment. Also, I believe this lady is a hero and a true representative of what this country stands for, and that she is truly a woman of substance. And may God bless her and hers for the great service that she has done for the nation.
With that said, let me ask/comment:
Is it me, or do most (all?) 'beauty contests' today really 'talent shows' instead of 'beauty contests?' The reason I ask is that every person I see (particularly in the US) winning such contests is not necessarily the most beautiful but rather the most talented (in many cases the most well rounded, but with talent having the largest slice of the pie). Once, during a contest in Oklahoma (not last year, since I believe she went on ahead to win Miss USA or something along those lines, but rather around the year 2000) one lady who won was actually quite well on the obese side. Now, I have nothing against big-boned people (and I already know that i have basically made myself into flame-bait), but I really wondered whether it was a beauty contest, or if it was a talent show (her piano/singing talent was star level).
Now, I know that these 'contests' have (as they should have) evolved beyond the meat-displays of yore, but come on! If it is no longer a beauty contest then it should be called a talent show.
There are certain nations in South America (including one nation that has won Miss Universe or World, don't remember which, more than twice), and of course there is India, that got into some controversy some time back over accusations that their winning strategy is to get the most beautiful lady they can get their hands on, and the COACH them so that they can answer the questions, give moving speeches, and perform. It has worked quite well, particularly since they have someone who has (or seems to have) 'talent,' but at the same time is darn-gollywolly-good looking to the nth degree. Many of the people I have seen in the US, apart from a few cases, have a lot of talent, and they look REALLY good, but I could go to any Community College in greater USA and find a number of students who look far better than that.
Anyways, let me rush and wear my asbetos wear. Hopefully the flames are not too hot (and once again, I am not knocking this lady. She is a hero. I am just commenting/asking about the way 'beauty competitions' seem to have become purely 'talent shows.').
Personally, I prefer the old "meat displays" you mentioned, and without the swimsuit competition, they have lost their appeal.
That said, political-correctness and the Feminazi takeover of accepted speech in public has relegated the old "American Beauty" concept to hushed talk for fear of attack as "sexism".
We can still look.....just don't let a feminist catch you looking!
If you think any of your community college girls could look as good as this girl without makeup, i.e. picture of her with little girl, your sadly mistaken. As far as talent, I'm sure she could break down an M-16 and reassemble it faster than anyone in the audience of the Miss American contest. If she needs to put on a little shooting demonstration to top that off, fantastic!
“The reason I ask is that every person I see (particularly in the US) winning such contests is not necessarily the most beautiful but rather the most talented”
Example: http://tinyurl.com/2vbl8d
Wow, she’s pretty!! I’m sure we won’t have to listen to any lang-brained answers to asinine questions if she’s a finalist.
Oops, sorry, wrong thread...
5.56mm
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