NAVY MARINES

Stephen Grist, PT, DPT  and Alexa Clifton, PT, DPT 

Navy physical therapists are members of the U.S. Navy Medical Service Corps. The Navy Medical Service Corps has its roots in the Army-Navy Medical Service Corps Act of 1947 signed into law by President Harry Truman on 4 August 1947.16 Although Navy physical therapists were not the first members of this unique Corps, they followed soon after.

Physical therapists have the opportunity to practice comprehensive orthopedics for Sailors and Marines in Naval hospitals and clinics in the U.S. and overseas. There are also positions available in pediatric in-school settings in Japan. Operationally, there are opportunities to serve onboard aircraft carriers and hospital ships as well as with Navy Special Warfare (SEALs), Explosive Ordinance Disposal, and Marine Raiders to provide Human Performance Optimization and rehabilitation.

The Navy recruits most of its physical therapists from the civilian sector to serve as either active duty service members, reservists, General Schedule (GS) employees, or civilian contractors. There are some active duty physical therapists who entered into service through the Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy which currently accepts four students each year. There are currently no loan forgiveness opportunities for physical therapists in the Navy.