According to an article printed in the September 12 issue of both the Navy Times and the Air Force Times, chiropractic care will "... likely be offered at 10 or more military hospitals by next year." Hospital locations have not been chosen.
The trial is a result of legislation passed by the House (awaits Senate action) that stipulates the appointment of an advisory committee by the Pentagon comprised of individuals from the Dept. of Defense, the General Accounting Office, and the chiropractic profession.
The test program provides that all chiropractic care be provided by civilians. The military has no plans to bring in chiropractors as commissioned officers, despite the fact that chiropractic spent 50 years getting legislation passed that now allows DCs to be commissioned officers.
The article mentions the two-year CHAMPUS study of chiropractic in Colorado and Washington state and noted its popularity with patients, but downplayed its impact on health care.
This exciting development is both an opportunity and a challenge. Those chosen to provide care at the military hospitals will have the honor of representing their profession, but the weight of knowing their performance may determine chiropractic's immediate future in the military milieu.
The article ends with a defense health official who asked not to be identified: "The question is do we provide another service because people like it even though it has no appreciable decrease on demand for traditional services?" The future of chiropractic's involvement in the military may rest on the ability of those DCs selected to correct the fallacy of that question. And that they will -- if given a fair shake.
