Amy Mattila was an occupational therapist at Walter Reed Hospital while in the U.S. Army from 2005-2011. Mattila, who rose to the rank of captain, says having the opportunity to treat injured soldiers coming back from Iraq at the height of the conflict changed who she is today.
Mattila now teaches occupational therapy at Chatham University. Her experience at Walter Reed has come full circle, she says, as she now connects her students to past patients for community service work.
Mattila joined the military straight out of high school. She said stepping outside of her comfort zone provided her a skill set unequal to her peers.
“The military for some women is immediately not the right path, and it’s too similar from an environment you might have come from," she said. "But I think for many, many other women, myself included, it is just really an open door."
Mattila was interviewed by CLCV team member James Yauger, a former E-5 Sergeant with the U.S. Army. Read more about Veterans' Stories: Project 412 and its participating team members.
