Miss America 2024 Is an Active Duty U.S. Air Force Officer Second Lt. Madison Marsh is the first active-duty service member to win the contest.

Madison Marsh, a 22-year-old Second Lt. in the U.S. Air Force, was crowned Miss America 2024 on Sunday. It's the first time an active-duty service member has taken the top prize.

Marsh graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy last year with a degree in physics and was Miss Colorado before winning her crown and title of Miss America 2024.

"We've had this preconceived notion in the past that you might be judged and not be taken seriously as a leader," Marsh told People.

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"This just proves that you can be feminine while leaning into your leadership role," she added to the outlet.

^{Miss America Madison Marsh is seen outside "Today" on January 17, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Raymond Hall/GC Images | Getty)}

Marsh is also a graduate student at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, studying for a master's degree in public policy.

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Marsh and her family founded the Whitney Marsh Foundation after her mother, Whitney, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2018. According to her bio page, the foundation has raised more than $250,000 for pancreatic cancer research so far.

Congratulations to our very own #Airman, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, aka Miss Colorado — who was just crowned @MissAmerica 2024! Marsh is the first active duty servicemember to ever win the title.#AimHigh pic.twitter.com/3RuDu5CulW

— U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) January 15, 2024