Georgia’s own Jade Kircus is stepping onto the Miss USA stage this weekend, swapping her Navy dress blues for a pageant sash. The 36‑year‑old veteran, wife and mother of three, will compete in Miami on Aug. 27 as Miss Georgia USA.
From sea duty to stage lights
Kircus served eight years in the United States Navy, completing two sea tours and a shore assignment at U.S. Central Command in Tampa before leaving the service in 2020. She later worked as a government contractor and became a stay‑at‑home mother in 2024. “The Navy really taught me determination, resilience, and how to lead with purpose,” she told Fox News Digital.
When she felt called in October to try pageantry, Kircus prayed for guidance. After learning Georgia had no state‑run competition, she entered an open casting call and was selected as Miss Georgia USA. “I felt the Lord put it in my heart,” she said.
A painful season turned hopeful
In October, Kircus discovered she was pregnant, but the pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 16 weeks in January. She described the loss as “heartbreaking,” recalling the brief time she held her baby girl in the hospital. Yet she says her faith sustained her through the grief.
“In my hardest moment, I looked to God and heard, ‘You’re still faithful, and my child is with me,’” Kircus said, adding that the experience opened an “open door” for her to pursue the Miss USA dream in February.
Faith, family and a new platform
Kircus emphasizes that her participation is more than a personal ambition; it’s an opportunity to serve her country and community. “Representing the USA is one of the most incredible honors of my life,” she said, noting her first‑generation American background with parents from Scotland and England.
She hopes her story will encourage others to trust in God’s plan, regardless of age or circumstance. “You can do hard things at any stage of life,” she told the outlet. “Today you can choose to be confident and become the person God has called you to be.”
What Miss USA means for her
The Miss USA organization, founded in 1952, offers Kircus a platform to share her testimony, promote confidence, and advocate for service‑oriented leadership. “It’s never too late to show up for your country,” she said, linking her military service, motherhood, and pageant participation as complementary ways to contribute.
As the competition approaches, Kircus will join contestants from across the nation, carrying both her veteran experience and her faith‑filled testimony. Whether she wins the crown or not, she says the journey itself is a testament to perseverance, prayer, and the belief that God can turn closed doors into open opportunities.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
