Letter to the DoD
Recently a letter was sent to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs regarding chiropractors in the military. It was sent by 15 members of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee both republican and democrat. This letter requested that the Department of Defense (DoD) investigate and return a report on disparities in the hiring, pay, and management of doctors of chiropractic. An ACA press release on the letter can be found here. And the letter it’s self can be found here.
Did your congressman sign? Would you like to thank them? Would you contact your congressman and ask why he didn’t sign? Here’s who did sign:
Reps. Rogers (R-AL), Loebsack (D-IA), Todd Aiken (R-MO), Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ), Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-MD), Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Walter B. Jones (R-NC), Larry Kissell (D-NC), Frank A. LoBiondo (R-NJ), Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Jon Runyan (R-NJ), Bobby Schilling (R-IL) and Niki Tsongas (D-MA).
This is a right step in the right direction. I am a prior service National Guard medic. I have served my country for 8 years helping soldiers stay in the fight. Although I have never served in the active branches, I have trained with the best. My experiences as a medic lead me down the career path of being able to help others with chiropractic. I have long awaited the opportunity to help within the military branches as a chiropractor and to give back to my country once again.
Over the past five years, I have worked and continue to work in multiple sates trying to help as many people as possible. My military families by far hold a special place to me. However, under the current system they are also the hardest families to keep on the wellness pace. The current system does not allow covered access to chiropractic service. This is by far long over due. We have the best fighting force in the world so we should have the healthiest fighting force in the world.
Our profession and integration within the department of defense is a giant leap for our profession. We must all work together to support the current legislations and be proactive in writing your representatives. The ICA is a great place to start. You can receive the entire documents to cut and past to email or snail mail to your state representative. I have worked very hard to make my voice heard over this and I will honor the day when access to chiropractic care is universal and un- bias.
Chiropractic should be a commissioned profession and be established in ever VA hospital. We have earned the right to sit at the table with everyone else. It will be my honor to serve my country again when the opportunity arise again.
Dr. Pat
Patrick
October 17, 2011 at 4:17 pm