PhysioGuru

Serving one's country by working as a military physical therapist can be a career option for those who want to help ensure that the country's enlisted men and women stay fit and are able to recover if they suffer from injuries in the field. One woman's service goes above and beyond what many physical therapy professionals can only imagine, as she was able to serve during three wars. Today, I will provide a brief insight into the life of a 94 year old woman, who served as a physical therapist in three wars - WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

Carol Kelm served as a physical therapist in the Army Medical Specialist Corps, which took her to places like France and Japan. During her 21-year military career, she also worked at Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Colo.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Leonard Wood; and Walter Reed in Washington, D.C. Kelm retired in 1966 with the rank of Major.

Her military career began in 1944 when, at age 29, Kelm decided she wanted to become a physical therapist. She had graduated from college four years earlier and was teaching at a school in northern Minnesota when she happened to see a Reader’s Digest article on the need for trained physical therapists to treat the wounded.

“I always wanted to go back to college and take physical therapy,” Kelm said. “I saw that the Mayo Clinic was offering physical therapy training tuition-free — that was their contribution to the war effort — but you had to go into the service.”

After 6 months of academic training, Kelm received her practical training at Mayo General Army Hospital. After becoming a certified physical therapist, Kelm served overseas at Osaka, Japan, at what she said was the only general hospital in direct support of the Korean War.

After retiring from the military in 1966, Kelm worked for seven years for Washington County Public Health, doing physical therapy in residents’ homes as well as going to Maple Manor and Greeley Nursing Homes one day a week. Born to German immigrants, she comes from a family tradition of military service; her three brothers were also in the military.

At age 94, she still takes her boat out on Lake Elmo to fish (yes, she cleans and filets them herself), and maintains her home of more than 47 years on the north shore of the lake, which she originally bought for $2,500.  Her secret to longevity may be that she doesn’t smoke or drink — and she knows the lake like the back of her hand. 

Kelm is proud of the fact that she was involved in direct treatment of patients throughout her entire career. Kelm has been in the Bayport Memorial Day Parade for many years, and she also enjoys telling schoolchildren about her military service.

“Even the year that I slipped on the ice and had arm therapy myself, I still treated patients,” she said.

We hope her rewarding career can provide inspiration to the upcoming physiotherapists to aim for higher goals in life and strive hard to achieve them.

Source: St Croix Valley Press.com

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