Seriously - what more do we need to hear about her? Okay, she's beautiful, has lots of talent and is a soldier.

So why do people keep putting her on a pedestal? Why does she get all the limelight?

She's not really "that" great of a Soldier anyway. Trust me when I say folks in her unit are tired of her "special attention". Even the General wants extra consideration for her (to be an officer) and all this hoopla just makes her fellow soldiers a little more sick everyday.

Hey Jill: You're great and you have lots of talent. Just don't think for a minute that you "DESERVE" anything in this life because of your beauty/talent. If you want respect from fellow Soldiers, you're going to have to earn it.

Hey Media: Jill is great but there are lots of other soldiers out there sacrificing much more than she does.

The article is correct in stating she was not a "typical pageant girl." She also is not a typical Mormon girl, thank heavens.

Why are all the Mormon women beating up on her? Yes, she is very attractive and there is nothing wrong with that. Stop being jealous. I'm sure all of you have "special spirits".

I happen to know Jill, and I can testify that she has earned every single thing that she's ever gotten. If you know anything about her you'd realize that she's one of the hardest working people that you could ever have the privilege to meet; she has no disillusions about "deserving" anything, except for perhaps a little respect for all that she's done for this state, our country, and the people she's served and served with in the army. You ask why she's put on a pedestal, well, you answered that question yourself--it's because "she's beautiful, has lots of talent and is a soldier" in addition to the fact that she is hardworking, down-to-earth, and just an all-around great person. I don't know why you're so bitter and resentful, but maybe it's time to realize that the problem is with you and not everybody else.

Bravo, Ridiculous!!

It's nice to hear good news about good people once in a while. I have lots of admiration for all who serve in our armed forces. And Jill is fascinating.

If you don't like the subject of the article, for heaven's sake, don't read it...

You should be happy for her instead of jealousy.

Does anyone else care to hear about Jill? I'm so tired of hearing about whoever she is. Lots of amazing and talented people in our state, why talk about her?

It's amazing that there are so many bitter people. Give it a rest. Go out and accomplish something so that you can feel good about yourself.

It never ceases to amaze me at the lack of happiness others have for one who has excelled and deserves the accolades. What I read, she is driven to accomplish those things she believes in. She has earned admiration, respect through her actions. Oh, to have accomplished even half of what this gal has. She is an asset to this country, her family, friends and to anyone else who is free of bias and covetness.

Usually people are critical of another person's success and the attention they get from it because they themselves are either insecure or unhappy (sometimes both) with their own lives. Their view is if they aren't happy, then why should someone else. Remember, misery loves company. Stop bashing Jill. She does a great job of representing the state as Miss Utah (which is one reason why she get's the attention) and the military. Her hard work as actually brought more recognition to the soldiers she serves with.

I'm happy for her and so should all of us.

She is a remarkable young lady .. take a good look at her beauty now because she will soon be married to a returning missionary, have tons of kids and be very middle aged before her time ..

Jill, you are a "Babe" -- We love you!

SGT Stevens,

As a Latter-day Saint, a Utahn, and a Soldier, I appreciate what you've done to "represent", but I do encourage you to be truthful and accurate (remember the Army Value of Integrity) when you speak of your marathoning. Past interviews have you competing as the "first woman marathoner in Afghanistan". I ran in the first Minefield Marathon in 2002 at Bagram Airbase. The young second lieutenant female (who smoked many of us, I might add) that ran in the marathon then ran it long before you did. So, please be accurate. I'll be watching for your book so make sure you're accurate. Otherwise, keep up the good work!

Her running outfit in the article photo isn't very modest.

This is to those who are crying jealousy of Jill: My husband is a an officer in the army and he is just so sick of how Jill has completely used the military to catapult herself into this pageant career. Would Jill have carved out this new career for herself if she hadn't used the military? We really doubt it. It's only what made her different from the other contestants. We personally knew many women who made much greater sacrifices for our country and they don't go running around blabbing about it constantly, like Jill does. Every other word out of her mouth she manages to relate to the short time she was in the military. She is a complete braggart and my husband and I find her an embarrassment to the military. Believe me when I say that the good soldiers don't act like Jill.

I am realy tired of seeing Jill all over the place too. A true soldier's actions speak for themselves. I too served in Afghanistan, does anyone know the name Scott Lundell? He was killed in Afghanistan, or how about Scott Hansen who crawled under heavy fire to pull out a wounded US Special Foreces Soldier and received a Bronze Star with V device for Valor. These are true heros. I am fine with getting some attention for seriving our country but enough is enough... let it go she's a good person, she served well, but I am tired of seeign her all over the place in the halls of draper, in the news, etc... lets honor real heros... guys that have died, been wounded under fire with the enemy. Not to take anything away from her but my guess is she rarely left the wire...

Hey folks, SGT Stevens doesn't write the news stories, so cut her some slack. She is hard working, and has a very unusual mix of accomplishments, thus the media interest in telling her story. (Everyone reads a story with a cute girl, right?)

It sure doesn't look to me like she expects any of the fame/infamy being heaped upon her.

I am sure that any other good looking, articulate, athletic, lady with nursing skills who serves a deployment and then (and only then) enters the silly pageant game would receive similar attention.

I bet SGT Stevens would agree that she is not a hero, and that the REAL heroes deserve much greater respect and recognition.

Meanwhile, I salute her accomplishments, and the fact that the media praises them, and thus indirectly all soldiers.

looks like a lot of men still can't stand a woman in the military. get over yourselves.

How many airhead beauty queens have there been - like 99% of them? It's refreshing to read about someone like her - instead of the latest scandal about some beauty queen with nude photos being leaked, or weird social views, or unbelievably inane comments. Young women get so much of the other kind to "look up" to, I'd much rather have them realize that you can be beautiful and make a useful contribution to the world too, and have your head on straight.

The comments about "using" the military are kind of dumb too. Every contestant in these things uses whatever accomplishment/personal story/talent they have to stand out from the crowd. I have yet to see one comment from her that indicates she thinks she's a hero.

As a father of four daughters, Jill is a great role model to them. You guys who write negative things about her get a life, and Ernie Bass go run a 5K in a sweatshirt in the heat and see how modest that is, not a pretty site I'm sure.

I wish my wife looked like her. But on the other hand, I am greatful my wife will have me the way I look!

Jill went to the pageant, and did not sell out. She entered the pageant a proud soldier, did not cave to the pageant's view of what a woman should be, and she left (as a result) a proud soldier. Enough said.

As an LDS woman, who has a daughter in the military I was totally excited to see Jill Stevens representing Utah in the Miss America pageant. Even though I'm from Maryland I was rooting for her. I cheered when she "dropped to give em 10" (push-ups)even though she was being eliminated.

Remember she was the one "voted in" by the audience- the first ever in Pageant history.

Can we all lighten up on her a bit? First off I'm sure as Miss Utah she has media obligations that come with the title.

Second off, anyone in the military- officers especially who are "sick" of her obviously aren't in the recruiting field. Do you realize how much "free" publicity she is for the military?

Third, I challenge you to find me a medic that hasn't worked hard. In training she had to be able to run with a 40lb pack on her back (that's the easy part)
I found her entries in the book "Faith in the Service" to be very touching.

Thumper said it right. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"

For those who are so upset over her success, remember that a wise man once told us that oride is competitive in nature: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.” - C. S. Lewis:

You know, just because Jill gets a lot of attention doesn't mean that any other soldier or woman, or anyone else for that matter is any less. She is who she is, and she has done a lot of things that she deserves to be admired for. Some people struggle when others get attention. To those people I say, you are still ok. Jill deserves what she is getting, and hopefully you deserve what you are getting, too.

P.S. I was really ticked at the Pioneer Parade committee last year for not letting her be in the parade. I hope they make it up to her this year. I certainly told them how I felt...and I am a direct descendant of about 8-12 Mormon pioneers.

This story is old. Find a new angle.

Jill, newsflash, you're a pageant girl! You've competed in over four and even went to Miss America. You're a pageant girl.

Overall, every life has a story, with none more important than the other. Not everyone has theirs published in print. We encounter stories every day that move us to action and inspire something inside. If Jill does that for some of you great! But I would hope that Jill will start finding what other things define her. for a year now, we've heard about military service and running marathons. But what else is there?