Ex-Astronaut Lisa Nowak May be Dishonorably Discharged from Navy

By: Caroline Black
Topics: Daily Blotter

Lisa Nowak (Orange County Sheriff's Office/NASA Bio Photo)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CBS/AP) In addition to Lisa Nowak's dismissal from NASA, a Navy review panel has recommended that the ex-astronaut be discharged from her post in the Navy as a result of her 2007 arrest in which she drove 1,000 miles to assault a romantic rival at an airport.

Three admirals reviewed Nowak's case Thursday at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville and unanimously decided it would be best to give the 47-year-old captain a discharge of "other than honorable" and downgrade her current rank to commander.

The recommendation will now be reviewed by the Naval Personnel Command, and the final decision is in the hands of the Secretary of the Navy.

If the recommendation is accepted, Nowak's pension will be affected negatively because she will have assumed the role of a lesser rank, and she will no longer be eligible for benefits under the GI bill.

Until then, she will continue to serve on the staff of the chief of Naval Air Training in Texas.

Nowak who flew in a space shuttle mission in 2006 was sentenced to a year on probation in November after pleading guilty to third-degree felony burglary and misdemeanor battery.

The charges stem from a February 2007 encounter in which Nowak drove from Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman, the woman who had begun dating Nowak's love interest, former space shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein.

Surreptitiously disguised in a trenchcoat and wig, Nowak followed Shipman to the parking lot, attempted to get into her car, and then sprayed her with pepper spray.

Luckily, Shipman was able to drive away.

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November 11, 2009 - Ex-NASA Astronaut Lisa Nowak: Guilty Plea in Bizarre "Space Love Triangle"

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by treehorn18 September 19, 2010 6:20 AM EDT: For someone as intelligent, driven and methodically organized as this girl, she had to have snapped. You don't go from being the astronaut she was to a raging lunatic overnight without there being some serious psychological explanation. Not only was she married to a fellow officer but she had 3 small children and a very, very demanding career - oops, forgot about the boyfriend too! Her plate was so full, it was spilling over and I think her mind began to do some spilling over too. Remember, she's always accomplished everything she set out to do and on top of her very full life she decided to have an affair (smart girl) and because she knew she couldn't have him 100% it wasn't quite enough for her. She had to add him to her accomplishments and when that wasn't going to happen, she freaked. By no means am I saying she was justified, just see the writing on the wall and was easy to predict what would happen.; Reply to this comment


by spectromorphism August 23, 2010 8:17 PM EDT: i really hate to see the insanity of our system. yes counseling,yes charges ,but dont ruin somebodies life over a thinking error,a temporary deviation from her norm be a real christian and pick her up after her time and help her put her life back together instead of oppressing someone.; Reply to this comment


by BobBobKK August 22, 2010 9:55 AM EDT: Although much of the evidence was excluded from the court case on a technicality, it seems like the article should have mentioned she brought along a knife, a large hammer, a BB pistol, latex gloves, rubber tubing, and trash bags. She wasn't planning a tea party. She went there with the intention of killing her rival, and would have if Shipman had not been alert and locked her car doors. No, she has NOT been punished enough for attempted murder, which is what this would have been if the police had followed proper procedures.; Reply to this comment

by byjfish August 20, 2010 11:21 PM EDT

I argee. She has served too many years without and out performed most men before her.

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by spectromorphism August 23, 2010 7:55 PM EDT: b.s. if it where a man he would have gotten some kinda sex charge


by Overruled1 August 20, 2010 10:26 PM EDT: If she had been a man, this would have been swept under a rug.; Reply to this comment


by byjfish August 20, 2010 10:26 PM EDT: can we say "Faces Of Meth" anyone? I don't see how taking away everything that she has worked her *@& off will help her or others from making this same mistake. Make her teach others the how to deal with what there in for. We can't think she has been the only one that mad this mistake. She just happens to be one of the highest ranked one we herd of. Oh I forgot, Pres. Bill mad some dumb decision too...; Reply to this comment


by smithcg August 20, 2010 9:15 PM EDT: General Discharge Under Other-Than-Honorable conditions severely limits VA benefits (i.e. no vet's preference in hiring, limited/no GI Bill benefits, etc.). However, she should already have the equivalent of an Honorable Discharge based upon her completion of her initial/original service obligation. Furthermore, pension should be based upon final pay and number of years of service, and not rank, at retirement date. She served honorably up until the point she committed this crime and deserves all entitlements one would normally receive immediately prior to that point.; Reply to this comment


by janeyre-2009 August 20, 2010 7:29 PM EDT: Was he worth it? I doubt it... Loss of family, career, sanity...; Reply to this comment


by barbaram99 August 20, 2010 7:20 PM EDT: she did fly in to space..; Reply to this comment


by formrusmcsgt August 20, 2010 6:46 PM EDT: Good thing this daffy broad never made it into space.

Can you imagine being couped up with an unstable like this and no escape?

Sheesh....; Reply to this comment