Jill Stevens (born February 28, 1983) is a

Miss Utah The Miss Utah competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Utah in the Miss America pageant. Two Miss Utah titleholders have won the Miss America pageant. Lindsey Larsen of Lehi was crowned Miss Utah 2021 on Jun ...

2007. She was chosen as Miss

Southern Utah University Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public university in Cedar City, Utah. Founded in 1897 as a normal school, Southern Utah University now graduates over 1,800 students each year with baccalaureate and graduate degrees from its six colleges. ...

and Miss

Davis County Davis County is or was the name of the following counties in the United States: *Davis County, Iowa, named in honor of Garrett Davis, a Congressman from Kentucky *Davis County, Utah, named for Daniel C. Davis, captain in the Mormon Battalion *Cass ...

. She is a

combat medic A combat medic, or healthcare specialist, is responsible for providing emergency medical treatment at a point of wounding in a combat or training environment, as well as primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury ...

in the

Utah Army National Guard The Utah National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. The National Guard is the only United States milita ...

and served as a medic during an 18-month tour in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

from 2004 to 2006 supporting

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...

Biography

A member of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

, Stevens grew up in Utah's Davis County. Her mother is a member of the

Mormon Tabernacle Choir The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is an American choir, acting as part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for ov ...

. Stevens joined the

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States A ...

six months before

9/11 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...

. In November 2003, she was deployed to Afghanistan, returning home in April 2005. She has earned five medals for her outstanding service S was the first female finisher of the inaugural Afghanistan Marathon, making a total of 12 marathons she has completed together with earning the highest Fitness award during Army Basic Training. In representing the Army National Guard, Sergeant Stevens addressed generals from 40 different nations gathered at

Hill Air Force Base Hill Air Force Base is a major U.S. Air Force (USAF) base located in northern Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and bordering the Cities of Layton, Clearfield, Riverdale, Roy, and Sunset with its largest border immediately adjacent to ...

. Stevens graduated

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...

from the

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

program at Southern Utah University on a four-year leadership scholarship. She placed third in the Cinco De Mayo Sailboat Regatta in Mexico. She was chosen as one of four "Women of Strength" featured in ''

Muscle & Fitness Hers ''Muscle & Fitness'' is an American fitness and bodybuilding magazine founded in 1935 by Canadian entrepreneur Joe Weider. It was originally published under the title ''Your Physique'', before being renamed to ''Muscle Builder'' in 1954, and acq ...

'' magazine's September/October 2007 issue. Stevens has been a fitness instructor for

Gold's Gym Gold's Gym International, Inc. is an American chain of international co-ed fitness centers (commonly referred to as gyms) originally started by Joe Gold in Venice Beach, California. Each gym offers a variety of cardio and strength training equipm ...

for several years, as well as a bread baker for Great Harvest. Stevens was Miss Utah 2007, and competed in the Miss America Pageant in January 2008. On January 26, 2008, she was named the "America's Choice" semi-finalist in the

Miss America 2008 Miss America 2008, the 81st Miss America pageant, was held on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, on Saturday, January 26, 2008. The pageant was broadcast live on TLC from the Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort a ...

pageant. This was the first time a 16th semi-finalist was named in the competition, and she was the only semi-finalist not to be selected by the judges. Stevens was eliminated after the swimsuit competition, along with five other semi-finalists. She was the only contestant to wear a one-piece swimsuit. When her name was announced, she dropped to the stage and started doing

push-up The push-up (sometimes called a press-up in British English) is a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position. By raising and lowering the body using the arms, push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterio ...

s. Stevens is a member of the

MormonTimes.com The ''Deseret News'' () is the oldest continuously operating publication in the American west. Its multi-platform products feature journalism and commentary across the fields of politics, culture, family life, faith, sports, and entertainment. Th ...

racing team. Stevens married Kerry Shepherd in January 2009.

References

Sources

* * *
G.I. Jill
by Joshua Hudson, May 2008, ''G.I. Jobs'' magazine

External links

*
ARMY.MIL - G.I. Jill Journal
by Jill Stevens, {{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Jill 1983 births Living people American Latter Day Saints United States Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Miss America 2008 delegates Southern Utah University alumni United States Army soldiers Women in 21st-century warfare Women in the United States Army Place of birth missing (living people) People from Davis County, Utah