Provided by Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Deshauna Barber, soldier and former Miss USA
On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce will host their seventh Annual Salute to the Armed Forces Luncheon from 1100 to 1400 hours (that’s 11:00 a. m.-2:00 p. m. for the civilian) at the Clubs at Quantico and Crossroads Event Center. The event is presented by the Chamber’s Veterans Council and features annual updates and award presentations by the Base Commander at Marine Corps Base Quantico and Garrison Commander at Fort Belvoir. Former Miss USA and active U.S. Army Reservist Deshauna Barber is the 2018 Keynote Speaker. NOVEC-Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative is the Event Sponsor.
The event will featuring moving accounts of local personal and professional connections to our nation’s military along with recognition for outstanding young Soldiers and Marines. The Chamber is also expecting several World War II Veterans as special guests.
Keynote Speaker Deshauna Barber will share her thoughts on the importance of hiring military veterans and increasing efforts to help service men and women to effectively transition to civilian life, particularly post-deployment.
Sponsors for the event include Contract Solutions, Inc., First Command Financial Services, Zeiders Enterprises, Inc., Prince William Living, Dominion Energy, Harry H. Horning Financial Services, First Home Alliance and Phase II Staffing & Contracting.
This year’s Salute to the Armed Forces will conclude with a Fallen Comrade Ceremony, including the playing of “TAPS” in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
The Clubs at Quantico and Crossroads Event Center is located at 3017 Russell Road, Quantico, Virginia 22134. Tickets for Salute to the Armed Forces are available online at pwchamber.org and include lunch. For more information contact the Prince William Chamber of Commerce at 703-368-6600.
Deshauna Barber made headlines and history as the first woman actively serving in the United States military to win the title of Miss USA. Deshauna comes from a service-centric family. Both her father and mother, as well as her older brother and sister, have all served in the military. She knows firsthand the sacrifices made by our country’s servicemen and women.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Virginia State University, Deshauna went on to complete her Masters in Computer Information Systems at the University of Maryland. Following her studies Deshauna returned to D.C. as an IT Analyst for the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 2011, she commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer in the U.S. Army Reserve and is currently a Logistics Commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit at Rockville, Maryland.
As Miss USA, Deshauna specifically focused her efforts on PTSD treatment for soldiers returning from deployments and suicide prevention in the Armed Forces.
