US Pilot Madison Marsh Becomes First Active-Duty Air Force Officer to Win Miss America

Madison Marsh, a 2nd lieutenant in the US Air Force and graduate intern at Harvard Medical School, made history as the first active-duty Air Force officer to be crowned Miss America.

Competing in this year’s Miss America pageant in the state of Florida, 22-year-old Marsh beat 50 contestants. Previously crowned Miss Colorado in May last year, she gained nationwide recognition, earning praise from the US Air Force.

The US Air Force celebrated Marsh’s achievement, hailing her as an inspiration and announcing her Miss America 2024 title on social media. “Congratulations to our very own #Airman, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, aka Miss Colorado – who was just crowned @MissAmerica 2024,” the US Air Force posted on X.

A graduate of the Air Force Academy and holder of a Master’s degree in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, Marsh embodies excellence in both academics and military service. Originally from Arkansas, she navigated through three nights of preliminary competitions to reach the final round with 11 contestants, the New York Post reported.

During the discussion round, Marsh shared the impactful story of her mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer, a tragedy that led her to establish the Whitney Marsh Foundation, raising funds for cancer research. Marsh’s talent round featured a spoken-word piece, narrating her journey to earn a pilot’s license at the age of 16.

A post shared by Miss Colorado (@missamericaco)

“I began flying at the age of 15 right out of my sophomore year of high school. At first, it was just preparation to get me into the Air Force Academy and help my chances of becoming a fighter pilot/astronuat. Throughout the years, it became more therapeutic and fun. When I was going through the final phases of my pilots license, I was also grieving the loss of my mom,” she said in one of her Instagram posts.

“Flying quickly became my getaway and distraction from real life on the ground. It was a life saver in many ways and is still something I’m extremely passionate about. Nothing beats being thousands of feet in the air,” she added.