Photo By Quinn O'Hara | 2024 Miss USA winner 1LT Alma Cooper shakes hands and greets 1ID soldiers at Fort...... read more read more
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1st Lt. Alma Cooper is a soldier, scholar, and the 2024 winner of the Miss USA pageant. 1st Lt. Cooper graduated in the top 5% of her class at West Point Military Academy and serves as a Military Intelligence Officer. She is also studying towards her Masters in Data Science at Stanford University as a Knight Hennessy Scholar.
As a part of recruitment and retention efforts, 1st Lt. Cooper has been traveling to schools across the country sharing her experiences as a soldier in the United States military and as Miss USA. On Wednesday, February 26, 1st Lt. Cooper visited the first military installation of her trip: Fort Riley.
1st Lt. Cooper’s visit included multiple open discussions with the leaders of the 1st Infantry Division’s Integrated Prevention Advisory Group, Operation Victory Wellness, Division food service, and others. These talks provided 1st Lt. Cooper the opportunity to take a behind the scenes look at what goes into the health, nutrition, and physical readiness of a Big Red One Soldier.
“As someone who’s academically focused on health and nutrition, it was incredibly insightful and exciting to learn about the 1st Inf. Div. Health and Holistic Fitness, Go for Green, and other wellness-based programs on post,” said 1st Lt. Cooper.
Following her visits with several of Fort Riley’s health and wellness leaders, 1st Lt. Cooper met with a group of 1st Inf. Div. Soldiers at Fort Riley’s Cantigny Warrior Restaurant. Together they exchanged stories of their experiences in the Army. Soldiers also discussed advice they’d give to their younger selves and to prospective soldiers. 1st Lt. Cooper said she will share the stories and advice she gathered with students during school visits in an effort to boost recruiting and retention efforts.
After the group discussion, 1st Lt. Cooper administered the oath of re-enlistment for Spc. David Frasier and Cpl. Hunter Coley.
“Being re-enlisted by Miss USA is a unique experience you don’t see a lot,” said Spc. Frazier. “It was pretty awesome.”
“There’s a deep sense of connection that’s present between the soldiers here and the surrounding communities,” 1st. Lt Cooper said of her visit. “I think that it’s incredibly inspiring to know both Junction City and Manhattan are very supportive of the military community stationed at Fort Riley.”
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2025 17:33 |
| Story ID: | 492028 |
| Location: | FORT RILEY, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 412 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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