1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, speaks to a full-capacity student body at Hillcrest High School, Riverside, Calif., March 5, 2025. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)
Miss USA titleholder and U.S. Army 1st Lt. Alma Cooper spoke to more than 4,000 students about opportunities in the Army and different pathways to pursue degrees in higher education at high schools in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties in California with the Riverside Recruiting Company.
“I have the platform of being Miss USA, but to me, the most important thing about what I get to do every day is serve,” Cooper told Stars and Stripes last week. She is currently assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command in the San Francisco Bay Area. “A part of that service is being able to share with students all across the country my own personal story. I want to hopefully inspire them and give them the encouragement to go on and chase their dreams and serve their country.”
From March 3-6, the Army intelligence officer stopped by Chino High School, Martin Luther King High School and Hillcrest High School with a mission to share her educational and military journey with students along with highlighting interests in STEM, and over 200 career opportunities in the Army.
“She captivated every room she walked into,” said Capt. Kathy Borgardt, commander of Riverside Army Recruiting Company. “Watching the students light up as she spoke about pushing limits and breaking barriers proved just how powerful her story really is. And she didn’t just talk, she connected, leaving students motivated to take action.”
1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, speaks to a full-capacity student body at Chino Hills High School, Chino, Calif. March 5, 2025. Cooper toured Southern California March 3-6, speaking with more than 4,000 students at High Schools and events in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)
1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, poses with a students and athletes from the Hillcrest High School basketball team, Riverside Calif. March 5, 2025. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)
1st Lt. Alma Cooper, a military intelligence officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, speaks to local civilian representatives from law enforcement, first responders and education departments from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties during a U.S. Army Southern California Recruiting Battalion hosted informational event at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Headquarters in Riverside, Calif., March 5, 2025. (Andres Bonilla/U.S. Army)
Jorge Alonzo, 18, is a future soldier preparing to ship out to the Army’s initial military training. He is one of the many students at Hillcrest High School that felt inspired by Cooper’s visit.
“There was one thing she said, and it was, ‘If you can see me, you can be me.’ That really stood out to me,” said Alonzo, who will be an information technology specialist in the Army.
Cooper became the first active-duty Army officer to be crowned Miss USA last year and is the second military woman to claim the title after Army Reserve officer Deshauna Barber in 2016. In January 2024, Air Force 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh won the Miss America pageant to become the first active-duty officer to win that crown.
Cooper graduated with honors at the United States Military Academy West Point and is in the process of earning a master’s degree with a scholarship at Stanford University. She said the opportunity to engage with students is a unique and impactful experience for her.
“It’s something I will truly never take for granted. I’ve learned a lot about the talent and spirit of this next generation of students,” Cooper said.
“Being Miss USA is a deep honor and privilege, but I only think about being Miss USA for 365 days,” Cooper said. “I get to say that I am serving my country for the rest of my life. Hopefully by sharing my journey to service, people can realize that there is a way for them to serve in their own way.”
