Ft Carson soldier who missed Iraq deployment for Miss America contest didn’t win

| December 31, 2021

Active duty 4th ID Specialist Maura Spencer-Carroll

Spec Maura Spencer-Carroll was selected as Miss Colorado several months back. This meant she was to represent the state in the Miss America competition. The Daily Mail had the story (and several pictures) at the time. Unfortunately, there was a planned deployment for the young lady. However, her superiors allowed her out of the deployment to participate in the contest. I’m sure whomever had to take her place was thrilled to take one for the team, so she could advocate for mental health. A noble cause to be sure, but I wonder if the person who had to take over for her suffered any mental health issues due to the last minute, unexpected deployment.

Military Times has the update, post competition;

Like every contestant, Miss Colorado wanted to be the next Miss America. Unlike the contestants, Miss Colorado is an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army.

Spc. Maura Spence-Carroll is an all source intelligence analyst (35F) in 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, based out of Fort Carson, Colorado.

Ultimately, Miss Alaska, Emma Broyles, won the title of Miss America 2021, but Spence-Carroll feels she still has much to accomplish for the remaining six months she holds the Miss Colorado crown.

She was the first soldier to ever win Miss Colorado. If she had won the 2021 Miss America competition, Spence-Carroll would have been the first active duty soldier to do so.

The irony of missing a deployment for a beauty pageant is missed on her apparently. They quote her,

“My responsibility as a soldier comes first,” Spence-Carroll told 5280 Magazine. “We’re soldiers 24/7, but thankfully, we do get time off throughout the day just like any civilian job.”

On her return to Ft Carson she was invited to meet with the 4th ID commanding general, who coined her and gave her a copy of The Hero’s Code, one of Adm. McRaven’s books. I know nothing of the book, but knowing the author, I’ll assume it’s about how awesome he is.

Category: Army, Disposable Warriors

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Sapper3307

Did she still receive a Bronze Star for being alive?

BennSue

I wonder if she got a waiver for the COVID shot as well.

Anonymous

“She is outspoken regarding her own experiences in receiving mental healthcare services,” according to the 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office.

For what? Not going or not winning?

Harry

Both. Her generation are ALL victims, you know, cuz no previous generation had to suffer like they do…

rgr769

Wonder if it was for narcissistic personality disorder. Or maybe she needs counseling on how difficult it is to be beautiful.

Carlton

The one and only positive I’ll take from this is that she is a woman being a woman, not some freak show.

MustangCryppie

“ A noble cause to be sure, but I wonder if the person who had to take over for her suffered any mental health issues due to the last minute, unexpected deployment.”

That’s got my name written all over it. One time,I was sent to sea for the millionth time cause the wife of the guy sked to go didn’t want him to go.

Good times.

Instinct

We had that happen too many times. Female would get pregnant just before deployment and be rotated out with some poor guy who had finally been assigned shore duty.

Total bullshit.

Green Thumb

Yep.

I walked in the chow hall one day and saw about 25 women in soft shoes.

NHSparky

My wife she, my kids they, my dog it.

And I thought that shit was bad 30-40 years ago.

Roh-Dog

So, a 35F didn’t deploy?! How did the Ops SGM handle driving himself around the FOB?!
The horror….
….
Th, e,
Hor
ror

Ret_25X

35Fs don’t drive for the SGM, they are too goofy to be trusted to drive a vehicle….no driving the Ops SGM is what 52Ds and 42As are for since contractors fix all the generators and no one in the S1 does anything anyway…

LOL

David

I remember a young Czech linguist working for me in Germany back in the ’80s getting weeks of duty decorating cobblestones (yeah, painting rocks) to be given as souvenirs to departing officers. Yes, we were short of linguists at the time. But to hell with mission – we had ROCKS to paint. (CoC pinned my ears back pretty good on protesting that one.)

KoB

Will IDC SARC deploy to Ft. Carson to comfort her? In addition to his other “duties”? If he can’t, then I guess I could be voluntold. Take one for the team, if you will.

Good luck in the future young troopette! Now go do the right thing and volunteer to take someone else’s spot on a deployment. While you are trying to “Raise Awareness” of ADHD, maybe you can “Raise” the morale of the troops…or something else.

ChipNASA

We’ll,
Seeing as how IDC SARC is probably preparing for a beauty pageant some place, I’ll volunteer to
Deploy in his steed, and do my best to swing off her labia. (h/t to GT 😛)

Green Thumb

A lot of folks on here were swinging off her labia.

Moving on…

Lets send her to Ranger School for a guaranteed pass.

Roh-Dog

She is/was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division which means there probably slots available, especially if there’s a Schools’ NCO that can’t stay his anatomy the f*** in his lane.

I’ll ask this again; why are women MTOE’d to Infantry units below Div level? It don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense.

But hey, I’m out. You stay classy DoD.

Dan

Congrats on Miss C, condolences on Miss A. It’s good PR for the army either way.

5JC

Which was the whole point of her missing movement. Got the GO in the news so he is happy.

Planet Ord

Meh. Good for her. Her CoC authorized her leave so I can’t fault her for not deploying. In point of fact I would have to say that this is the most epic sham job by the E4 Mafia I’ve ever heard of. Most times we just shammed in the barracks or dental. This E4 managed to sham a whole deployment without getting pregnant!

Seriously, if she won the CoC would have been milking that for all it’s worth. It was a calculated risk.

I’m glad to see her succeeding.

David

seems to me the question is whether she asked to be let out of the deployment? Or did her CoC decide for her?

AW1Ed

Good PR for the Army. I’m just glad the serious contestants were all real live American girls.

Unlike Pennsyl-tucky State U’s Woman’s Swim Team. Or the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

26Limabeans

“didn’t win”

Oh yes she did……

Slow Joe

She works in my BN S2. I have seen her around the BN HQ. She is barely a 6 out of 10 without make up. Maybe a 5. She is also kind of short, 5’2″ or so.

I have not worked with her, so I have no idea about her character, but I don’t think she fucked anybody over for not deploying, since only 2 guys out of the 5 in her shop actually deployed.

rgr769

If she is only a “6” without makeup, you must have some impressive standards. Either that, or maybe gals aren’t your cup of tea.

But then I question the judgment of anyone who only drinks light beer.

Odie

I am not an expert on women’s beauty, and everybody has different opinions on what is and isn’t appealing to them for women’s looks.

Personally, I don’t find her that attractive.

Stacy0311

She might be a “6” but downrange, they’re all 10s. At least in their own minds

SFC D

Had a former Miss Rhode Island in my company. As an officer, I’d rate her as adequate. Glad she wasn’t my PL.

JustALurkinAround

I always root against people with hyphenated names.