Historic! Madison Marsh becomes first active-duty US Air Force officer to win Miss America

Twenty-two-year-old US Air Force officer Madison Marsh has become the first active-duty service member to be crowned Miss America, marking a historic moment in the renowned pageant's legacy. Marsh, a recent graduate of the US Air Force Academy, plans to continue her commitment to military service while embracing her newfound role as Miss America.

Speaking on America Reports, Marsh expressed her intention to seamlessly blend both responsibilities, stating, "We're really trying to mesh both of these roles together, as me remaining on active duty and maybe potentially becoming a recruiter for the Air Force."

The accomplished pilot, representing Colorado in the competition, began flying at the age of 15 and discovered her interest in pageants during her freshman year at the Air Force Academy. In the interview, Marsh talked about the Air Force's support for her education and her dreams of participating in the international beauty pageant.

"I wouldn't be able to be Miss America or even gone to Harvard without the opportunities that the Air Force provided," Marsh noted. "They gave me all of the tools at the Air Force Academy to compete in pageants, to get the scholarships I received, to send me to Harvard while I'm still on active duty."

Currently pursuing graduate studies at the Harvard Kennedy School, Marsh has dedicated her life to pancreatic cancer research. Inspired by her mother's battle with the disease, she aims to utilise artificial intelligence to detect pancreatic cancer early.

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"My mom died when she was 41 years old. We had no cancer history. She was really healthy. She didn't have any of those high-risk factors, and she still passed away," Marsh explained.

Looking ahead, Marsh envisions her work in pancreatic cancer research and the nonprofit sector as the next steps after her service in the Air Force. She is determined to provide hope for other families affected by the disease and advocate for comprehensive support from congressional levels to research and funding.

"I want to be able to provide hope for other families and really push in every sector down from congressional up to research and funding to ensure that everyone is being taken care of," Marsh told America Reports. "Because if my mom can't get to be here, I want to ensure that other families get to have their moms, brothers, sisters, fathers, you name it. That's the type of person that I want to be for my mom."