Editing Susan Helms (section)

==Military career==
Helms graduated with a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from the [[U.S. Air Force Academy]] in 1980.  She received her commission and was assigned to [[Eglin Air Force Base]], [[Florida]], as an [[F-16]] weapons separation engineer with the Air Force Armament Laboratory. In 1982, she became the lead engineer for [[F-15]] weapons separation. In 1984, she was selected to attend graduate school. She received a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from [[Stanford University]] in 1985 and was assigned as an assistant professor of aeronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy. In 1987, she attended the Air Force Test Pilot School at [[Edwards Air Force Base]], [[California]]. After completing one year of training as a [[flight test engineer]], Helms was assigned as a USAF Exchange Officer to the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment, at [[CFB Cold Lake|Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake]] in [[Alberta, Canada]], where she worked as a flight test engineer and project officer on the [[CF-18]] aircraft. She was managing the development of a CF-18 flight control system simulation for the Canadian Forces when selected for the [[astronaut]] program.

[[File:Helms sj.jpg|thumb|left|Helms as a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force]]
After a 12-year NASA career that included 211 days in space, Helms returned to the [[U.S. Air Force]] in July 2002 to take a position at HQ USAF [[Air Force Space Command|Space Command]]. After a stint as the division chief of the Space Superiority Division of the Requirements Directorate of Air Force Space Command in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]], she served as vice commander of the [[45th Space Wing]] at [[Patrick Air Force Base]] near [[Cape Canaveral, Florida]]. She then served as deputy director of operations (Technical Training) for Air Education and Training Command at [[Randolph Air Force Base]] near [[San Antonio, Texas]]. Helms served on the Return To Flight task group after the [[Columbia accident]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Return To Flight Task Group: Members |url=http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/returnflight/members/defaultb222b222.html?id=helms |publisher=Return To Flight Task Group |access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref> She was promoted to [[brigadier general]] in June 2006 and became commander of the 45th Space Wing on the same day of her promotion.<ref name=AFBio>{{cite web |url=http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=8588 |title=USAF Biography of Helms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212021213/http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=8588 |archive-date=2012-12-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Helms was promoted to [[major general]] in August 2009.<ref name=AFBio /> She served as the director of plans and policy, U.S. Strategic Command, [[Offutt Air Force Base]], Nebraska. She was directly responsible to the U.S. Strategic Command commander for the development and implementation of national security policy and guidance; military strategy and guidance; space and weapons employment concepts and policy; and joint doctrine as they apply to the command and the execution of its missions. She was also responsible for the development of the nation's strategic war plan, strategic support plans for theater combatant commanders and contingency planning for the global strike mission.

In January 2011, Helms was promoted to [[Lieutenant General|lieutenant general]] and assumed duties as commander, 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), Air Force Space Command and commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space, US Strategic Command<ref name=AFBio /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-07-16|title=1st U.S. military woman in space to be O-9 - Air Force News {{!}} News fr…|url=http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/09/air-force-susan-helms-in-line-for-third-star-091610w/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716155540/http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2010/09/air-force-susan-helms-in-line-for-third-star-091610w/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-16|access-date=2020-07-20|website=archive.is}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/one_item_and_teasers/nom_cmten.htm|title=U.S. Senate: Nom in Committee (non-civ)|website=Senate.gov|access-date=11 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13916 |title=Defense.gov News Release: General Officer Announcements |access-date=2010-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005182446/http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13916 |archive-date=2010-10-05 }}</ref>

As a flight test engineer, Helms has flown in 30 different types of U.S. and Canadian military aircraft.<ref name="AFBio" />

In 2013, Helms was nominated by President [[Barack Obama]] to become vice commander of the [[Air Force Space Command]]. Senator [[Claire McCaskill]] placed a permanent hold on the nomination because Helms had dismissed a charge of a [[Sexual assault in the United States military|sexual assault]] and punished the accused on a lesser charge leading to his dismissal from the USAF, in her role as the General Court-Martial Convening Authority, who is required to review all findings.<ref>{{cite news |last=Whitlock |first=Craig |title=Senator continues to block promotion of Air Force general |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senator-continues-to-block-promotion-of-air-force-general/2013/06/06/bbf9ea0a-cee3-11e2-ac03-178510c9cc0a_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=June 7, 2013 |date=June 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Taranto |first=James |title=Gen. Helms and the Senator's 'Hold' |url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324021104578549891063938034 |publisher=[[Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref> As Helms's lawyer explained, Helms felt the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.<ref>{{cite news |last=Taranto |first=James |title=Meet Col. Williams |url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323393804578559583374805870 |publisher=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |access-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Helms |first=Susan |title=Disapproval of Findings in U.S. vs. Herrera |url=http://www.foia.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130509-026.pdf |publisher=U.S. Air Force |access-date=March 23, 2014 |date=February 24, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214221921/http://www.foia.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130509-026.pdf |archive-date=December 14, 2013 }}</ref> Obama eventually withdrew Helms's nomination and she retired from the Air Force in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/38070obama-withdraws-helms-nomination|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140209054840/http://www.spacenews.com/article/military-space/38070obama-withdraws-helms-nomination|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 9, 2014|title=Obama Withdraws Helms Nomination - SpaceNews.com|date=8 November 2013|website=Spacenews.com|access-date=11 April 2018}}</ref>