Lejeune Marine voted as ‘Hottest Husband' by magazine

Troops from Camp Lejeune are constantly honored for valor and meritorious service. Now they’re being recognized for their looks.

The cover of the February edition of Military Spouse Magazine features Marine Sgt. James Holland, winner of the magazine’s first “Hottest Husband” contest. The contest entries numbered in the hundreds, magazine staff said, but Holland’s had a certain je ne sais quoi.

“We didn’t have a rubric or anything, it was just sort of a visceral reaction,” the managing editor of Military Spouse Magazine, Melissa Meinzer, said.

One thing that added “hot points” she said, was the volunteer work Holland does, along with his wife Alice von Simson, for the animal rescue association Adopt an Angel.

“The dogs really grabbed our attention,” Meinzer said.

But Holland was unaware he had even been entered into the contest until months after the fact.

Von Simson, 27, who lives with Holland in Hampstead, said the contest details came up on a Facebook news feed and she entered her husband on an impulse.

“It was one of those things, had I read about the contest in the actual magazine I wouldn’t have done it, but it was right there; it was like two mouse clicks to upload his photo,” von Simson said. “I did it completely without permission.”

When she received an e-mail months later that Holland had won, she knew she’d have to break the news.

“He wasn’t thrilled,” she said. “He’s very humble, so I think he was just really surprised. I think he thought I was the only person in the world who thought he was attractive.”

The magazine featured the couple in a prominent photo spread and collage, along with the dogs they have rescued together.

Von Simson said getting photographed for the feature by Nikki Brochetti, a fellow military spouse whose husband is stationed at Camp Lejeune, was a positive and fun experience.

“They tell you that you shouldn’t work with children and animals, and we showed up with four dogs!” Von Simson said.

Holland, 25, an instructor with the Marine Special Operations School, said he knew right away he might get some teasing on the job for having won.

“I was like, ‘Oh, man, I’m going to hear from the guys at work,’” he said.

At least he won’t be the only Camp Lejeune Marine taking the heat this month: The contest’s second runner-up, Gunnery Sgt. John “Danny” Dober, is also stationed aboard Lejeune.

Contact Hope Hodge at 910-219-8453 or hhodge@freedomenc.com.