Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Klemme lived in El Paso until 13, then moved to Hilo, Hawaii, where she stayed until 19. At 23, she enlisted after deciding her life was not heading in the right direction.
She wanted to be an X-ray technician, but the only job open to her was firefighter. Klemme knew she was young, in shape, and an "adrenaline junkie." Boot camp in Elgin, Illinois came next. The Air Force then stationed her at Homestead Air Force Base near Miami, Florida, where she faced multiple challenges from her male counterparts.
She started as what she calls a tail board jockey, hooking onto a bumper and hanging on. She later drove a pumper truck and worked in the extinguisher maintenance shop, the dispatch room and technical services. "So, I was able to run the whole gamut," she said.
The service gave her structure, and she says it taught her you can do anything you put your mind to. "Serving people gave me a sense of purpose and made me feel like I had direction," Klemme said. She retired a few years ago to care for her husband, who died almost two years ago. Her advice to fellow veterans is to use the VA resources available to them.