AUGUST 11, 2026 – The first day at her initial duty station at the Brooke Army Medical Center Trauma Unit on Fort Sam Houston, TX, Staff Sgt. Jaeden Hamelly had to respond to a 14 year old boy who lit himself on fire in a failed attempt to take his own life. This traumatic event was unbearable and at that moment, she told herself that she could not do this. However, she had leadership who noticed this struggle and gave her the necessary push to overcome her distress.
“Once I was able to grasp that I’m saving someone else’s life and it’s more than just me that’s when everything changed,” said Hamelly.
Staff Sgt. Jaeden Hamelly, enlisted into the Army on active duty in 2021, but after serving her four year contract she wanted to go to college full time and focus on obtaining her master’s degree in social work. This degree, however, required her to complete in-person clinicals to graduate and she knew pursuing this goal while on active duty would hinder her military career. She also knew she wanted to continue to serve in the Army in some type of capacity, so she joined the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Georgia Army National Guard, on August 09, 2025.
Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Capt. Will Wilson stated, “I have indeed heard of her accolades and high praise.” Capt. Wilson continues, “Her commitments to excellence, selfless service, and personal growth were quickly noticed and appreciated through all her hard work within our unit.”
As National Guardsmen, individuals can have full time careers outside of the military. Hamelly, however, took advantage of the education benefits provided through the Guard and went to school. “I currently am very blessed not to have a full time job right now and go to school full time…I’ve used my full G.I. Bill and Tuition Assistance,” said Hamelly. “The military provides us with the opportunity why not take full advantage.”
Shortly after ending her active duty career and joining the Georgia Guard, Hamelly unexpectantly moved back to Connecticut and helped her mother take care of her sister. As one of the oldest of 11 children, she took on the responsibility of caretaking. This unexpected move to Connecticut qualified her to compete and win the title of Miss Connecticut.
At the age of six Hamelly was drawn to pageantry. Once she heard her elementary school was having a pageant, she immediately asked her mom if she could compete. “I showed up in my Sunday dress with my pearls around my neck with my ruffly socks…and I ended up being first runner up and I was hooked,” said Hamelly.
Around 15 years old Hamelly took a step back from pageantry and focused on being a teenager. As time went by, as an adult, she went through an abusive relationship which almost broke her.
“I was almost 300 pounds…I despised looking in the mirror,” said Hamelly. “I stopped watching Miss USA…why couldn’t that be me…I told myself no, you can, you just got to wake up.”
After coming to her senses, she joined the military which allowed her a safe way to leave the abusive relationship and led her to her wife, Sgt. First Class Gabrielle Hamelly, who gave her the necessary boost which built the confidence needed to compete in pageants again.
Hamelly stated, “She’s the one who actually made me feel confident enough to do it…she told me, ‘I feel like you could win it all’…and I believed her.”
Before Hamelly takes the stage to compete for the title Miss USA 2026 she must prepare herself for this high stake competition. She will focus on maintaining her body weight, practicing her stage walk, conducting interview practice and continuing to be active in the community in Connecticut. Outside of her preparation, her mother is also preparing for the competition by designing and handmaking Hamelly’s state costume for the pageant. “[My mom is] a huge support system and completely creating my Miss Connecticut USA costume piece by hand,” exclaimed Hamelly. “I can’t wait for you all to see it, it’s so beautiful it’s magnificent!”
As a competitor on the Miss USA stage Hamelly chose to use this platform to represent an organization called Beyond the Uniform Mental Health Advocacy. Beyond the Uniform (BU) is dedicated to educating, empowering, and protecting service members by sharing knowledge, resources, and real stories. Hamelly highlights that she goes to military installations and speaks to Soldiers and veterans about mental health and resources available to them through the military.
Hamelly states, “A lot of the time not only do military personnel feel like they can’t speak up because of the stigma that we have to be strong…[they’re] just not knowledgeable about the resources we do have…so I try to be the voice for mental health through the military.”
Hamelly will compete in The Miss USA competition in Miami, FL on August 27, 2026, live on CW at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts and has the support of her wife, family and friends and last but not least her unit.
“Her fellow Soldiers hold her in high regard as she continues to demonstrate her potential. We congratulate her on winning Miss Connecticut and wish her continued success at the Miss USA competition,” said Capt Wilson. Hamelly credits the military in assisting her with competing in pageants and describes how it’s shaped her into the woman she is today.
“My time management [and] my discipline [was] non-existent before I joined the military, I was kind of just going through life,” stated Hamelly. “The military has shaped me into who I am today amongst all my experiences, but the ones I’m most proud of come from the military.”
Story by Maj. Amanda Russell
Georgia National Guard