Second Lieutenant Alma Cooper, a recent United States Military Academy graduate at West Point, made history by being crowned Miss USA on August 4, 2024. As the first active-duty Army officer to win this prestigious title, Cooper is not just breaking barriers but also exemplifying the embodiment of discipline, leadership, and academic excellence. She is a Military Intelligence Officer.
Cooper, a Michigan native, graduated in the top five percent of her class at the service academy in 2023, where she majored in mathematical sciences. Lieutenant Cooper is a recipient of the Mathematical Association of America’s prestigious Janet Liou-Mark award, honoring undergraduates for their exceptional research in mathematics.
During her time as the brigade adjutant at the academy, she oversaw 4,400 cadets in emergency and crisis scenarios, demonstrating her exceptional leadership capabilities. This experience was complemented by her academic research on diet and food insecurity, which she continues to pursue at Stanford University as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar while working toward a master’s degree in statistics with a focus on data science.
Her journey to becoming Miss USA was as unexpected as it was inspiring. Cooper first entered the pageant world on a whim, using a dress she purchased on Facebook and paying the entry fees with her earnings from a part-time job. However, her dedication and hard work quickly propelled her to success, and she won the title of Miss Michigan earlier in the year before claiming the national crown.
During a question and answer portion of the contest, she told judges:
“As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro Latina woman and an officer of the United States Army, I am living the American dream. If there’s anything that my life and my mother have taught me, it’s that your circumstances never define your destiny: You can make success accessible through demanding excellence.”
Cooper’s dual roles as a soldier and a pageant winner have allowed her to challenge traditional perceptions of being a military officer. She is using her platform as Miss USA to highlight issues close to her heart, such as food insecurity, veteran support, and the empowerment of women in non-traditional roles. Her win is not just a personal victory but also a significant moment for the U.S. Army, showcasing its service members’ diverse talents and capabilities.
In a statement following her win, Cooper emphasized her desire to inspire others by living a life that defies limits. “The only limitations are the ones we accept,” she said, echoing the ethos that has guided her remarkable journey from West Point cadet to national pageant queen.
Officers in the American armed forces are taking the beauty pageant world by storm this year.
Alma Cooper, an Army 2nd lieutenant and U.S. Military Academy graduate, has been crowned #MissUSA! She is the first active-duty Army officer to compete in and win the Miss Michigan USA… pic.twitter.com/RutYvIdaHW
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) August 12, 2024
Cooper’s achievement has been widely celebrated within the military community, including by her alma mater, which praised her as a service, leadership, and achievement model. As she continues her studies at Stanford and fulfills her duties as Miss USA, Cooper remains committed to serving her country in uniform and through advocacy work.
Her story is a testament to the power of determination, discipline, and the courage to pursue diverse ambitions—qualities that make her not just a beauty queen but a role model for many.
Please share your respectful comments below. Should an active-duty army officer be allowed to dedicate so much time to her role as Miss USA? Is this a recruiting boon for the Army in a year where they fell far short of meeting their recruiting goals? What do you think?
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