FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- Twenty-nine civilians raised their right hands and became officers in the U.S. Army in a commissioning ceremony at the Army Medical Department Center & School Sept. 20. The new officers are heading to two different U.S. Army Medical Specialist Corps programs.
"These new officers will be in the Doctorate in Physical Therapy (65B) or Graduate Program in Nutrition (65C) programs," said Capt. Angela Slitzer from the Army Health Care Recruiting Team for the Medical Specialist Corps. "They've been selected for very prestigious military programs and will be the future officers providing physical therapy and dietetic care For our Soldiers and their Families.
"All of these students' degrees are conferred through Baylor University, but all coursework is done here at AMEDD Center & School," Slitzer said. "The physical therapy students will be receiving a doctorate in physical therapy and the dietitians will receive a masters in nutrition, as well as complete their dietetic internship."
"I'm really excited about entering the physical therapy program," said Chenae Nelson after her commissioning. "I was born on Fort Sam Houston at the old Brooke Army Medical Center and I'm looking forward to making the Army a career."
A 21-year-old graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., Nelson has a bachelor's degree in physical therapy and will get her doctorate through the U.S. Army-Baylor University Post-professional Doctoral Program in Orthopaedic and Manual Physical Therapy offered by AMEDDC&S.
According to the GoArmy website (http://www.goarmy.com) students earn their doctorate in physical therapy while preparing for a career in the Army Medical Specialist Corps.
The 27-month program emphasizes preventing, examining and diagnosing neuromusculoskeletal problems. In the last five years, 95 percent of the graduates passed the national physical therapy licensing examination on the first try.
Students entering the doctorate program in physical therapy as second lieutenants are Kaitlen Alexander, Robert Andrade, Jacqueline Booker, Joel Davis, Bryan Fillmore, Maureen Greenlee, Daniel Huffman, Michael Hurst, Charles Kambe, Jared McGowen, Chenae Nelson, Charles Rellig Jr., Jonathan Su, Isaac Walkup, Lindsey Weigel and Stephen Winterroth. Julie Bowman and Eliot Thomasma were commissioned as captains.
The Graduate Program in Nutrition is a two-phased, degree-producing program. Phase 1, the didactic portion, is approximately 9 months long and is completed at AMEDDC&S. Phase 2, the internship and research portion, is approximately 11 months long and is completed at one of four locations: Brooke Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washngton, D.C., Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, N.C., or Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash.
Students who successfully complete the program receive a master of science degree in nutrition from Baylor University and will be eligible to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
After completing the 20-month program, officers must remain on active duty for an additional four years.
Students entering the Graduate Program in Nutrition as second lieutenants are Ashley Boissy, Michael Dawson, Bonnie Doerr, Beatriz George, Robin Harris, Elya Hillebrand, Lacey Ryffel, Karla Sanchez, Britain Seaburn, Elizabeth Thompson and Margaret Wilson.
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