NationStates Jolt Archive

If the US had done this, there would have been Congressional investigations, massive media play, organizations like NOW protesting in front of the White House, and celebrities calling our soldiers "Neanderthals". So, I'd like to see if there are any NON-US people here who think this is strange in today's modern world.

http://www.mosnews.com/files/9135/beauty.jpg

A lieutenant from the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy was crowned “Army Queen 2005” in the “Beauty in Epaulets” contest held in a Moscow theater Tuesday, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

The “queen,” Ksenia Agarkova, was selected from 21 female finalists, all serving in branches of the armed forces ranging from infantry and naval units to the country’s space forces.

Ksenia graduated from the St. Petersburg Shipbuilding Institute and for the past two years has been serving in the Navy as an engineer at a laboratory of the fleet’s firing range. She has been awarded a military medal for participating in 18 missile test-launches.

source: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=218afa85cb2f68e1&cat=723971d98160d438

beuty contests, it is never enough.

somehow I don't see the US military jumping on this bandwagon any time soon...

but it would be interesting!

Dude, I need more photographs before I can judge whether or not she deserves the title.

I like her exotic look though.

She's got my vote

http://www.mosnews.com/files/9135/beauty.jpg

A lieutenant from the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy was crowned “Army Queen 2005” in the “Beauty in Epaulets” contest held in a Moscow theater Tuesday, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
No full length photos on the site either! Damn! :(

I'm American, I don't find anything wrong with it. I'm not sure why you think we would?

If the US had done this, there would have been Congressional investigations, massive media play, organizations like NOW protesting in front of the White House, and celebrities calling our soldiers "Neanderthals". So, I'd like to see if there are any NON-US people here who think this is strange in today's modern world.

...
I don't think it is strange. There are a lot of women in our Armed Forces, so why not have a beauty contest for them? :)

I don't think it is strange. There are a lot of women in our Armed Forces, so why not have a beauty contest for them? :)

Can't do one here in the US military. Too bad, really.

It doesn't really bother me in the least... why should I care which contests people enter themselves into? Besides, if I did, she'd kick my arse. Russian, and in the navy? I have common sense.

Can't do one here in the US military. Too bad, really.
because of lack of competitors that pass the minimum requirements?

what is the POINT of a military beauty contest? its not so much that i find it wrong as that i find it stupid

besides in america it would be a playboy issue called "women of the armed services" or maybe a seperate issue for each branch

what is the POINT of a military beauty contest? its not so much that i find it wrong as that i find it stupid

besides in america it would be a playboy issue called "women of the armed services" or maybe a seperate issue for each branch

Playboy did that already, sometime in the 90s I think, or maybe the 80s, I forget which. Possibly since then, but my wife doesn't let me buy Playboy anymore.

because of lack of competitors that pass the minimum requirements?
Well, you've got something there. At least in the Army, most of them look like Lynndie England.

There are some Marines that look pretty hot, but they also look like they could kill you with their bare hands.

I still think the Swedish military has the hottest women.

Playboy did that already, sometime in the 90s I think, or maybe the 80s, I forget which. Possibly since then, but my wife doesn't let me buy Playboy anymore.
see? what would we need a beauty contest FOR then?

im surprised it wasnt against military rules.

hmmm my neice just got her own subscription to playboy. i guess its all in how you look at it.

If Russia were still part of the YSSR, I'd defect and join their navy.
She can't be the only woman in their navy that good looking.

what is the POINT of a military beauty contest? its not so much that i find it wrong as that i find it stupidEhhh.... Not necessarily. Let's "Think about it for a moment."

While I admit that the military probably has to be more strict than most other professions, it doesn't (usually) hurt to have a little fun, once-in-a-while. A dull and dreary existence does wear a person down, eventually, regardless of how necessary it is. An "armed forces beauty contest" could be used as a morale-boosting event, kinda like the entertainment shows put on for US soldiers overseas during WWII. (What was that called? "USO"? Am I getting the term right?)

Are there better ways to boost morale in the military than beauty contests? Probably. Still, I'm not inclined to think that a beauty contest is going to do more harm than good.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

...

There are some Marines that look pretty hot, but they also look like they could kill you with their bare hands.I'm sorry.... "look like they could kill you with their bare hands"? This implies that they can't actually kill you with their bare hands. Considering that we're talking about female Marines, I would consider this a very dangerous implication to make. "Think about it for a moment." :p

--The Jovial States of Cogitation
NationStates Self-Proclaimed Court Jester

that would make better sense IF the women in the military were there to promote MALE morale. its not a big morale booster for a woman to not make the grade in a beauty pagent, after all only ONE person can be "miss enduring freedom" the rest are the also rans.

now if you want to stage mock beauty contests with uso visitors then FINE. that IS the business of the uso.

I'm sorry.... "look like they could kill you with their bare hands"? This implies that they can't actually kill you with their bare hands. Considering that we're talking about female Marines, I would consider this a very dangerous implication to make. "Think about it for a moment." :p

By "look like" it means that it depends on who the male is. A female Marine is dangerous to "most" but not "all" men.

Here's a female Marine...
http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9121275&postcount=241

that would make better sense IF the women in the military were there to promote MALE morale. its not a big morale booster for a woman to not make the grade in a beauty pagent, after all only ONE person can be "miss enduring freedom" the rest are the also rans.It depends upon how seriously women take the contest. Women who don't take the contest too seriously will have fun with it, win or lose. Women who take the contest way too seriously are going to get sore over losing (and aren't going to be pleasant to be around as winners, either).

However, the same could be said of any game or contest. Now, I've never lived on a military base, nor have I ever been in the military, so I don't how well the following counterargument is going to apply, but.... Let's assume that male soldiers entertain themslves with games of baseball or basketball. If they don't take the game too seriously, then all concerned have a good time with it. If soldiers take the game way too seriously, then the Military Policemen need to be called in to clean up the mess.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation
"Think about it for a moment."
Founder and Delegate of The Realm of Ambrosia

my son the Marine has a lot of good things to say about the young women he has seen so far in the Corps... perhaps he will bring back one home with him one day.

on another note

Just think how much more fun the Cold War would have been if the US and Soviet Union had matched their contestants against each other. We could have had Swiss, Swedish and Indians as judges to ensure impartiality.

who could NOT take the title of MISS ENDURING FREEDOM seriously??

although i WOULD love to see a marine who enlisted at 18 and got out at 22 enter the miss american pagent with her talent being dissassembling then reassembling her rifle.

WAY better that flaming baton twirling.

who could NOT take the title of MISS ENDURING FREEDOM seriously??Hmmm.... I think I see what you're getting at.

Still, I think it's merely an issue of people learning not to be sore losers or snobby winners.

although i WOULD love to see a marine who enlisted at 18 and got out at 22 enter the miss american pagent with her talent being dissassembling then reassembling her rifle.

WAY better that flaming baton twirling.I suddenly have this image in my head of melee combat with flaming batons.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

What I want to know is was there a swimsuit portion of the competition, and if so, where are the photos?

I suddenly have this image in my head of melee combat with flaming batons.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

And whipped cream.

Hmmm...

I love a woman in uniform..
/perv