Duckworth is an Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient who was one of the first women to fly combat missions as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. When her helicopter was hit by a grenade in 2004, she lost both legs and some mobility in her right arm, NewsNation partner The Hill reports.

Pete Hegseth, the former major in the military who grew up in Forest Lake and served in the Minnesota National Guard, was nominated this week by President-elect Donald Trump to be the secretary of defense in his cabinet when he takes office in January.