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Cosmopolitan
3 days ago
- Cosmopolitan
Brains, Beauty, Brawn, and a Bold Mission: Meet Your New Role Model
When Alma Cooper was named Miss Michigan USA and later crowned with the national title in 2024, the 23-year-old Michigan native had already stacked up an impressive list of accomplishments. She's a West Point graduate who finished in the top 5 percent of her class, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier serving as a 35A Military Intelligence Officer assigned to the U.S. Army Recruiting Command—as well as a youth-outreach ambassador—and a Knight-Hennessy scholar at Stanford University, where she's studying for a master of science degree in data and analytics to power her national platform's mission of combatting food security. But developing that level of drive and purpose doesn't happen overnight. Ready to adopt some of Cooper's mindset to be all you can be? Here are four principles that keep her on track. For Cooper, the first step to pursuing your dreams is to find your "why." Knowing what you value most is what will help keep you going when you feel overwhelmed or doubt creeps in. When you know your "why," and you keep fueling that purpose with the people, environments, and passions that align with your goals, your dreams start to take shape. Cooper has built an impressive resume—both in and out of her Army uniform. Through every one of her endeavors, service has been her driving force—always considering how to better herself and make a difference for those around her. She credits her family with first instilling this value of service—a value that would be esteemed and fostered well in the Army, where service is a cornerstone. Between her father's service in the U.S. Army for more than two decades, her mother's compassionate commitment to educating young students, and her sister who has special needs, Cooper was surrounded by selfless acts from a young age. "In my household, being selfless is a core principle," recounts Cooper. As she was growing up, Cooper observed military life through her father's successful career in the Army, but she didn't consider it as an option for herself until her mother signed her up for summer camp at West Point when she was 16. That's when she realized the Army offered much more than she realized. "From the moment I stepped on campus, I saw that West Point is focused on service, and that resonated with me," she recalls. "Thanks to the mentors there, I knew I'd be challenged." Cooper was always inspired by her parents' dedication to their work and creating the best opportunities for themselves and their family's future. She saw their resilience and decided to step out of her comfort zone and position herself in a completely new, demanding environment. "In the end, that's going to develop your character, and you're going to learn far more about yourself," she says. Following her summer camp experience, Cooper only applied to West Point for her post-high school education—confident it was the best place for her and her future. "I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself and who I am as an individual. I knew I'd walk out a better young woman." Once at West Point, Cooper didn't shy away from obstacles. Math hadn't come easily in school, but she loved telling stories through numbers, so she chose mathematical science as her major. She had a clear vision for where her education could take her, guided by her dad's constant reminder: "Get comfortable with being uncomfortable." Cooper's family surrounded her with examples of perseverance. "In my household ... there is a sense of resilience." At 14, Cooper developed an interest in pageants from her mother who competed herself as a young woman but lacked the resources to go far. "In the stories my parents tell about growing up—for instance, my mom experienced food insecurity, which is why I'm dedicated to that issue [today]—they've been so resilient in the pursuit of their dreams. It's easy to be inspired by that." In the Army, Cooper has received similar encouragement from other soldiers, such as her mentor Col. Julia O. Coxen. Their guidance is what inspired her to be a leader herself—not just in her career, but in other aspects of her life. As Cooper approached her graduation from West Point, it was Coxen who told Cooper to consider applying to Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University. Typically, soldiers graduate from West Point and go straight into operational Army, but Coxen saw Cooper's potential for this unique opportunity. She told Cooper to not be the first person to say no to herself—and it's a good thing she didn't. Cooper was awarded the opportunity to become a scholar and continued her mathematics studies in data science and furthering research on nutrition and food insecurity. "There is such power in contributing to an organization that's bigger than yourself, and in finding cohesion and commonalities," she says. "That's true with the Army and also with any type of workplace or group. At the end of the day, having mentors and role models helps you evolve and develop the growth mindset that's needed to take you to the best version of yourself." Today Cooper is using her recognition as a reigning national pageant queen to represent the Army at high schools across the country to inspire young students and show them all you can achieve while serving your country. Cooper has a personal motto, "If you see me, you can be me." She's determined to lead as an example to others—as many before her have done—and to share her roadmap to chasing your dreams. "When you identify causes that you care about, and you're willing to work toward uplifting those around you, that makes an incredible impact," she says. Her platform is also helping her put her studies and research into action, bringing awareness to food insecurity around the nation. Even as she works towards finishing grad school and her reign comes to a close, she continues to hit the gas pedal. One peek at her social media channels and you'll see Cooper is once again leaning into her passions and setting up her next challenge: Running all the major marathons around the world. By combining her love for doing hard things with her passion for nutrition and wellness, Cooper's growing interest in running proves she will continue to set the bar high for herself. "You can live a far more fulfilling life when you show up and bring your full self into every situation," she says. Still in her early 20's, Cooper is just getting started. She believes that the only limits you face are the ones you put on yourself, so it's unlikely she will let up anytime soon. "Personally, I know what it feels like when I'm holding back," she says. "That's when I come back to the basics of resilience, service, and passion. That's how you can chase your dreams."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Setting the scene: Army to test new hub for stockpiling in Australia
The U.S. Army will test a nascent capability to effectively preposition equipment and supplies forward in the Pacific theater in Australia during the large-scale exercise Talisman Sabre kicking off this month, according to U.S. Army Pacific Command commander Gen. Ronald Clark. As the U.S. military tackles preparing for the difficult challenge of sustaining a possible protracted operation in the Pacific theater, the services are working together to develop what they are calling Joint Theater Sustainment Distribution Centers. The Army is largely responsible for establishing several of these major sites that will shelter equipment and a variety of supplies that could be used during war, humanitarian crises or natural disasters. 'We are responsible for setting the theater for the joint force,' Clark told Defense News in a June 27 interview. 'The way that we've undertaken that strategically is to build joint interior line through Joint Theater Distribution Centers that we're establishing across the Pacific.' The Army has so far established one center in the Philippines and one in Australia, for which the service is directly responsible. The other services are tasked with building out more centers across the first and second island chains in the Pacific, key archipelagos stretching from Japan through Taiwan and down to Borneo in the south Pacific. One of the JTDCs is being established in Townsville, Australia, just north of the Gold Coast on the eastern side of the country. During Talisman Sabre, the Army will be building its concept for the center along with other logistics and sustainment capabilities the service expects it will need in a highly contested environment. The exercise happens every other year. This time, roughly 35,000 soldiers from 19 countries will participate. 'This gives us a great opportunity to test some of the capability associated with that because we have to move personnel and materiel into Australia. The tyranny of distance, of which you're well aware of, requires that,' Clark said. Having JTDCs 'in and near the first island chain is exceptionally important for us and to be able to work through some of those challenges in the concept, in peacetime, as we're working through contested logistics,' he said. 'We're building those concepts and building those capabilities with the Australians side-by-side to facilitate setting the theater.' The locations throughout the theater will vary in size and scope, 'but the things that will be universal,' Clark said, 'is, one, you're going to have to have a port capability to move surface vessels with large amounts of material. 'Two, they're going to have to have storage capability for our efforts that store classes of supply. Three, they're going to have to have some sort of airfield and air capability so we can move quickly materiel, supplies, from one place to another in rapid fashion.' The centers 'will allow us to essentially cheat the requirement for strategic air because, should there be crisis or conflict, the ability to use strategic lift to get into position will be highly contested by ourselves,' Clark said during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event June 27. 'Our efforts to get Army prepositioned stocks on the ground in multiple locations where we can draw and then move inter-theater to a place of need is essential.' Talisman Sabre will also test out other capabilities designed for contested logistics, such as Army watercraft concepts, as the service works to shape that strategy. The exercise will also mark the first time the Army's Typhon, or Mid-Range Capability missile, is live-fired in the Pacific theater.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
A Tohono O'odham family integrates Catholic and Native beliefs in the Arizona desert
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — On St. John the Baptist's feast day in late June, an extended Tohono O'odham family attends Mass out at their desert camp, where they gather to harvest saguaro fruit in a process sacred in their Native spirituality. 'When you're raised as being a Catholic and raised as being an O'odham, you have both of those within your home, you have both of those within your family,' said Maria Francisco. 'So it's a combination.' With her cousin, Tanisha Tucker Lohse, and about three dozen other family members and friends, Francisco worshipped at the early morning Mass in a ramada — a canopy topped with saguaro ribs to provide shade, this one decorated with paper flowers. A folding table covered by a white and gold tablecloth served as an altar. A priest visited from Tucson to celebrate the Mass. A statuette of St. John the Baptist stood by a bunch of fresh flowers, candles and burning desert sage in lieu of incense. There also were photographs of Tucker's late mom and their great-great-aunt, known as 'Grandma Juanita,' whose advocacy preserved the camp. Juana is Spanish for Jane, so she celebrated her name day on St. John's and the family is continuing the tradition. A dozen cross-shaped saguaro fruit-picking poles leaned behind the table. Made from saguaro ribs, they're used to hook the fruits and push or pull them down from the towering plants. The history of encounters between Catholicism and Native spirituality has often been marred by violence and oppression. But many members of the Tohono O'odham Nation hold onto both faith traditions as they were passed down since the late 17th century, when an Italian-born Jesuit missionary, the Rev. Eusebio Kino, introduced Christianity to these remote deserts in what now are the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. 'To me, it's the lived consequence of trying to do Catholicism on their own,' said Seth Schermerhorn, a Hamilton College professor who studies Indigenous adoption of Christian practices. Many O'odham villages have mission churches, though a shortage of priests means regular Mass is a rarity. The Rev. Aro Varnabas came from his parish, Saint Kateri, to celebrate this service. 'Making people feel connected to God through the things they're familiar with, that's what I see,' he said. Michael Enis, who works for the O'odham's San Xavier's district — home to one of the most beautifully decorated colonial Catholic churches in the Southwest, San Xavier del Bac — brought his three young children. He sees a special kinship between his nation and Jesus' cousin, who lived off the desert, calling for repentance at the risk of his life, and baptized Christ himself in the Jordan River. 'You connect the story of St. John and O'odham life, and you're stronger for it,' Enis said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
