Entertainment – D.C. Army Reserve officer crowned Miss USA 2016

Deshauna Barber, a 26-year-old Army Reserve officer and IT analyst from the District of Columbia has been crowned Miss USA 2016. In her answer during the interview section of the pageant, Barber gave a strong defense of women in combat roles in the military. “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,” Barber said. “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 works full-time as an IT analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce, and hopes to use her time as Miss USA to highlight health issues faced by veterans after returning home from combat.