Soldier With a Strong Will Overcomes a Physical Weakness
Twenty-year-old Austin Findley has always dreamed of being in the military. As a child, he looked up to family friends who were service members. As Austin’s dream approached reality, he never imagined something could ever get in his way.
As a linebacker for the Ottawa High School football team, he suffered an injury early in the season. He was determined not to let the injury keep him down, and played on an injured shoulder for most of his senior year. Once the season was over, he finally had the surgery he needed. When he began rehabilitation, he had one goal in mind.
Juli Kent, physical therapist at ATI Physical Therapy in Ottawa, IL, worked with Austin post-operatively. She knew from the beginning that the goal was to prepare him for active duty service in the Marine Corps, which meant regaining full function of his shoulder so he could start training for the physical fitness test. The military requires individuals to meet certain physical qualifications, and this particular surgery was not going to make this an easy task for Austin.
“We worked on his shoulder for about 4-5 months, which is typical for a SLAP repair. What wasn’t typical was the fact that his surgery required eight anchors, instead of the normal one or two anchors,” explained Kent. “Austin’s surgeon told me this surgery isn’t something you see every day. He said that Drew Brees, quarterback for the Saints, is the only person he ever knew of to have a Slap repair requiring eight anchors.”
Like Drew Brees, Austin returned to full activity from a surgery that was supposed to keep him sidelined.
The staff at ATI’s Ottawa clinic got to know Austin well during his time in therapy and they were impressed that he was so driven, never complained, and was always up for a challenge. When the time came for him to collect his medical records, he asked Juli if she would write a letter of recommendation for the military. The entire staff gladly participated, and came up with the idea to include examples of how his hard work and dedication throughout physical therapy reflected the Marine Corps Values: Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
This letter impacted not only Austin’s future, but left an impact on his family, too. Mary Chamberlin, ATI Front Office Coordinator, ran into Austin’s mother outside of the clinic after he completed his physical therapy.
“She thanked me for all we had done for him, stating that she didn’t think he wouldn’t have done so well without all of Juli’s hard work and dedication,” said Mary. “She got teary-eyed as she told me how touched she was with that letter . . . all we needed to do was state that he was fit for the Military. She was so impressed that the letter went above and beyond what was required of us.”
Several months after Austin was discharged from ATI, he came back to the clinic to visit Juli and the staff at Ottawa and they were excited to see him! “It makes me proud as a physical therapist and a mother to see this young man’s commitment to heal, grow and develop,” shared Kent. “As a daughter of a Veteran, I understand the pride and devotion that comes with being in the military.”
Austin’s visit was also full of good news! Although he was disqualified for service in the Marine Corps due to the previous surgery, he was successful in passing the Army’s Physical Fitness Test and was accepted into the Army. Plus, not only did his therapy help him to achieve his goal of joining the military, he also completed his black belt in Hapkido.
“I wanted to say goodbye to everyone before I left,” said Austin. “When I started therapy, I had no idea what to expect. It was tougher than I thought it would be, but Juli is the coolest person ever. She was so helpful and the whole staff was so friendly. It was such a great atmosphere, so I had a really good time while I was there. I knew where I wanted to be, and ATI helped me get there.”
Austin went to Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, SC, and then attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Huachuca, AZ. There, he earned a 345/300 score on his Army Physical Fitness Test and received an early promotion to the rank of Private First Class.
Austin’s Current Mission
Austin is currently serving on active duty at Fort Bragg, NC and is set to deploy to Afghanistan near the end of the year. His current goals are to attend Air Assault School, Airborne School, and Ranger School. After returning from Afghanistan, he plans on going to RASP (Ranger Assessment and Selection Program) and hopes to earn a place in the 75th Ranger Regiment.
As Austin looks to his future, he offers this advice for those fighting an injury:
“There is nothing more devastating than a debilitating physical injury, but you have to keep going, keep pushing, and even when it hurts you can never quit. The moment that you decide to quit you have mentally beat yourself. Our bodies are much stronger than we think; the mind is the greatest tool we have. After my surgery I gained nearly 50 pounds, lost all use in my right arm, and became practically inactive. I never lost faith in Juli and ATI’s staff; I told them that I wasn’t going to let this stop me and they provided me with the help I needed to reach my goals. I couldn’t have done it without them. Less than two years later, I am in the best shape of my life and my shoulder is stronger than ever. As my Drill Sergeant used to say, ‘All it takes is a little want to. Never quit.’ ”