Yesterday, Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield was relieved of her command without public explanation. No charges. No scandal. No official rationale. Just one more highly accomplished, barrier-breaking woman pushed out of leadership in what increasingly looks like a quiet purge.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Just months ago, Admiral Lisa Franchetti—who was on track to become the first woman to lead the U.S. Navy—was passed over for the top job in favor of a man with far less operational experience. And now, another pioneering woman in uniform is shown the door, with nothing but silence and speculation left in her wake. These actions have left the military without a single woman in a four-star general or admiral leadership position, despite women constituting approximately 17.5% of the active-duty force, totaling nearly 229,000 members. In the Navy, women make up around 20.9% of active-duty officers.

We’re told to believe this isn’t about gender. That it’s not political. That it’s just business as usual.

But we know better.

For women watching from inside the ranks—and for young women thinking about bringing their talents to the military—this moment sends a clear and chilling message: No matter how decorated you are, how hard you work, how many glass ceilings you shatter, you can still be cut loose without explanation or acknowledgment.

This is bigger than one decision. It’s part of a larger pattern—a rollback of decades of progress, a targeting of leaders associated with DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), and a deliberate reshaping of what leadership looks like in the armed forces. When Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth took the reins, some feared what a Fox News-informed military policy might look like. Now, those fears are beginning to feel like reality.

If Secretary Hegseth is sincere about strengthening the military, I have a recommendation for his reading list: Shoot Like a Girl by Mary Jennings Hegar. It’s the story of a combat pilot who was shot down and left behind by her male wingman—a woman who had to sue the Department of Defense for the right to serve equally, and who still risked her life for her country. Senator John McCain called her “an American patriot whose courage and determination will have a lasting impact on the future of our Armed Forces and the nation.”

Hegar’s story is one of many. And yet, women are being asked—once again—to fight the same battles we thought we’d already won.

So what does this mean for talented young women with leadership potential and a deep desire to serve their country?

It means we need to think strategically.

Yes, the military has been one of the most enduring ladders of social and economic mobility in America. And yes, it still produces extraordinary leaders. But if the message from the top is that women are expendable, overlooked, or unwelcome, then maybe it’s time we help these women find new places to lead. New platforms. New missions. New uniforms—ones not camouflaged in silence or stripped of value.

Because here’s what I know: The talent is real. The drive is unmatched. And the leadership potential of these women? It’s unstoppable.

If the military won’t celebrate it, we will.

So to every young woman wondering what this means for her future: Don’t doubt your power. Don’t shrink your ambition. And don’t let outdated institutions determine your worth.

There are many ways to serve your country, to lead with integrity, and to stand out as the force of change you were meant to be.

Even if you never set foot on a battlefield.