In a sad irony, the uproar over how the military justice system handles sexual crimes may have cost the Pentagon one of its most impressive female leaders. Just before Veterans Day, the “permanent hold” placed by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) on Lt. Gen. Susan Helms’ nomination to co-lead Air Force Space Command prompted the general to request retirement.

Thus the Air Force loses the first U.S. military woman in space and the world record-holder for spacewalk duration.