Miss Colorado Becomes First Ever Active Duty Air Force Pilot To Compete For Miss America Title

Madison Marsh is the young woman who just won 2023’s Miss Colorado pageant. She’s also an active-duty Air Force pilot who recently graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, which means she will be the first-ever active-duty USAF pilot to compete for the Miss America pageant crown.

Marsh also recently appeared on FNC’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” to discuss her run for the pageant title and how the military views her decision to go for the crown. This year’s Miss America pageant has been going on since January 6, 2024.

And Marsh is not just a pilot and pageant contestant. “Fox & Friends Weekend” host Pete Hegseth, going over her impressive resume, said, “you’re a National Truman Scholar, two-time National Astronaut scholar, eight-time Dean’s List at the Air Force – three-times Superintendent’s List, a National Rhodes finalist, certified private pilot, and a black belt in taekwondo, and you’re a graduate of the Kennedy School at Harvard.”

Then, after they joked about how intimidated potential suitors must be, Marsh turned to discussing why her story is one that is important and worth telling. Doing so, she told the hosts, “Cause I started flying around 15, that’s whenever I kind of fell in love with the Air Force Academy and the idea of serving. And so I walk through what that flight looks like and some of the things that went wrong and how they relate to me today as a leader and an officer, and kind of how that goes into pageantry as well.”

Then, when asked, “what is a woman?” Marsh told the hosts, “You know, serving to me – being a woman in the military is all what you make of it. And for me that’s been being able to do both – that means representing my mom who I lost to pancreatic cancer and living through her life, because I get to live even though she doesn’t.”

Posting on Instagram as the Miss America pageant came to an end, Marsh said, “All phases of competition are complete  Can’t believe this week is about to come to an end. Forever grateful for the memories on this stage and every moment with my girls.”

And, posting about the pageant as it occurred and highlighting her work to help pancreatic cancer care patients, she said, “Heart on fire Still doesn’t feel real that I walked on the Miss America stage. I would have given anything to have my mom in that crowd last night. As always, I live for her and will forever advocate for past, present, and future pancreatic cancer patients.”

Showing thanks for all those who helped her, she continued, “To all of my family, friends and Miss Colorado Board who were there cheering me on or tuning in at home — thank you for your endless love and support. Thank you to my amazing sponsors @thepaigedennis of @joannsoftennessee for my dream gown and @kendilydesigns for my beautiful custom earrings!”