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Airman comes up short in Miss USA bid

Air Force 2nd Lt. Kelly George has grabbed national attention for her work on the runway — but she’s not a pilot.

George, 24, this year’s Miss Arkansas USA, became the first active-duty military member to compete in the Miss USA pageant Friday night when she went up against 50 other women in Hollywood, Calif. George ultimately fell short of the crown, however, as Miss Tennessee Rachel Smith was named Miss USA 2007.

Prior to the contest, George talked to Air Force Times about what it’s like to compete in Miss USA while also being on active duty.

“I don’t think that you’d be able to pick me out of the crowd of women and say, ‘That one’s in the Air Force,’” George said. Still, she said, there are “51 gorgeous women here, so you have to think of what makes them different. So the fact that I am an airman and that I’m an airman first sparks people’s attention.”

In her day job, George is deputy chief of public affairs for the 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. But since taking the state crown — er, tiara — last October, she’s been juggling Air Force and pageant duties.

Discuss: Should Airman Kelly George compete in the Miss USA pageant?

“It’s a very delicate balance,” she said. “A lot of it is just good time management. ... A lot of the requirements to prepare for Miss USA already coincide with my job, like being physically fit. I mean, the Air Force pays me to be in shape.”

The biggest trial for George so far has been learning to function with constant chaperoning, though some of the perks, like red-carpet treatment, aren’t too bad.

On the Web

Official Kelly George site

Former soldiers’ daughter wins Miss USA