U.S
Army logistics commander whose father, mother and sister have also
served their country, broke down in tears as she was crowned Miss
USA 2016!
The
26-year-old army officer won after giving a strong answer about women
in combat, saying gender doesn't limit women in the U.S.
26-year-old Deshauna Barber, a Logistics Commander for the 988th
Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Fort Meade, Maryland, has broken down
in tears after she is crowned the winner of Sunday's 2016 Miss USA
competition held at the T-Mobile Arena off the Las Vegas Strip.
Deshauna whose mother, father, brother and sister have also served
in the army, claimed the title after giving a strong answer when asked
about women in combat, saying that gender doesn't limit women in
America.
She represented Miss District of Colombia in Miss USA
Barber said that women are just as tough as men during the question-and-answer segment, adding: 'As a commander of my unit, I'm powerful, I am dedicated. Gender does not limit us in the United States.'
Now, Barber, who is the first-ever member of the military to win
Miss USA, says she'll be taking a break from the Army Reserves to juggle
her new duties. She said her current Army commitment is two days per
month but that there's great flexibility with the Reserves.
Deshauna Barber reacts as she is crowned Miss USA by Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan (right) during the 2016 Miss USA pageant
Barber who entered the beauty pegeant competition represented Miss
District of Columbia, and says she will use her year with the title
supporting veteran's causes and hopes to tackle the issue of suicide and
post-traumatic stress disorder among military members.
Barber was born in Columbus, Georgia, but has lived in multiple
states due to her father's military career before settling in
Washington, D.C. Barber's father served in the Special Forces for 24
years and that's how he met her mother, who was also in the military.
Barber poses with other contestants after being crowned Miss USA 2016 during the 2016 Miss USA pageant
'My siblings and I knew when we graduated from high school that we wanted to join,' she added. Barer said she joined at 17, while her brother and sister enlisted at 18 right straight out of high school.
'I ended up going through the ROTC program at university and
commissioned to be officer in the United States Army in 2011. It's been
the greatest decision I've ever made,' she said.
