Miss District of Columbia Wins Miss USA 2016

26 year old army reserve officer and IT analyst, Deshauna Barber, from the District of Columbia has been crowned Miss USA 2016 after mounting a strong defense of women in combat roles in the military.

When asked by judge Joe Zee whether the Pentagon’s decision to open up all combat roles to women had “put political correctness over our military’s ability to perform,” 1st Lt. Barber responded: “As a woman in the United States Army, I think it was an amazing job by our government to allow women to integrate into every branch of the military.”

She continued: “We are just as tough as men. As a commander of my unit, I’m powerful, I am dedicated and it is important that we recognize that gender does not limit us in the United States.”

Barber won the pageant ahead of first runner-up Chelsea Hardin, Miss Hawaii, and second runner-up Emanii Davis, Miss Georgia. She will now go on to represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant.