Arizona Air National Guard member Technical Sgt. Charmaine Pozo was a top-10 finalist at the Ms. Veteran America 2015 competition in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Pozo and 24 other women who have served or continue to serve in the U.S. military competed for the crown in a national competition supporting Final Salute Inc.
Prior to the competition, Pozo raised more than $5,000 for Final Salute, an organization that houses and supports homeless women veterans.
The competition has no swimsuit portion and few restrictions on who can enter.
Final Salute founder and president Jas Boothe wanted the contest to give women in the military a chance to share more of the person behind the uniform.
Capt. Kerri Turner of the Washington Army National Guard won the title of Ms. Veteran America this year.
In addition to making the top 10, Pozo also received the Above and Beyond award, based on recommendations from military supervisors that the contestant typifies someone who would “never leave a fallen comrade,” Pozo says.
She adds, “It was nice to be in a room full of women fighting for the same cause you are.”
