Miss America shares message during base visit

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Angelic Dolan
  • Space and Missile Systems Center Public Affairs
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) --  Miss America Jennifer Berry spoke to Airmen here Sept. 12, promoting her campaign of building intolerance to drunk driving and underage drinking.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to host Miss America," said Col. Joseph Schwarz, 61st Air Base Wing commander. "She is dedicated to America just as our Airmen are, and taking time from her busy schedule to meet with some of them is an experience they will not soon forget."

Airmen on base who recently returned from supporting the war on terrorism shared their deployment experiences with Ms. Berry.

"I come from a military family. My grandparents and my father all served in the Army," Ms. Berry said. "People never really have a chance to walk up to the men and women who deploy in harm's way and say thank you. They are the ones on the front lines helping us continue to do things we like doing here in America."

"On behalf of America, I would like to thank them and their families for their sacrifice, dedication and service before self, and I hope they know that every single day I will be thanking them and praying for them and I will continue to do that long after the crown has retired," she said.

She spoke to base members on the importance of integrity, service, volunteering and excellence, emphasizing the similarities of her values to the Air Force core values.

Promoting positive development among America's adolescents is Miss America's objective of building intolerance to drunk driving and underage drinking. She also spoke with the youth on base and told them of the importance of her campaign.

"Miss America's platform on underage drinking was vital to educating our youth and helping them focus on goals and making good decisions," Colonel Schwarz said.

"I have experienced firsthand the tragedy that drunk driving causes," Ms. Berry said. "One of my high school friends was killed when riding with an underage drunk driver who lost control of the car. My friend was only 16 years old."

She said she will take every opportunity to make a positive difference and honor the memory of her friend to help save as many lives as possible.

Ms. Berry is a resident of Tulsa, Okla., and is a student at the University of Oklahoma where she is majoring in elementary education. Listed on the President's Honor Roll, her goal is to obtain a master's degree in education.