Michelle Manhart

Michelle Denise Manhart is an American model and former United States Air Force non-commissioned officer. Born on October 20, 1976, in Oakland, California, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1994. Over the course of her military career, she served in various capacities, including a tour of duty overseas, and eventually became a Military Training Instructor based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Manhart rose to prominent public visibility in early 2007 after appearing as a featured model in the February 2007 issue of Playboy magazine. The appearance sparked widespread debate regarding military conduct standards and public modeling by active-duty service members. Following the publication, military leadership relieved her of her instructional duties pending an administrative investigation. The review resulted in her demotion to senior airman, and she officially separated from the Air Force in 2008 after 13 years of service.

Following her departure from the armed forces, Manhart pursued modeling and media opportunities while remaining involved in public affairs. In April 2015, she received national media coverage for her involvement in an incident at Valdosta State University in Georgia. During a campus protest where demonstrators were walking on an American flag, Manhart stepped in to take the flag from the ground. She was briefly detained by university police during the dispute but was released without criminal charges.