U.S. Army Sergeant Joshua Eldridge, DC, CCSP, is heading to Afghanistan for a second tour combating the Taliban and other enemy combatants. During his first tour in Iraq, Dr. Eldridge became one of the first chiropractors to treat soldiers in combat situations. Dr. Eldridge received notice in June that he would be headed back to the Middle East for his second tour with the U.S. Army.
Dr. Eldridge, owner of the Rocky Mountain Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Clinic in Greeley, Colo., spent his first tour in Iraq during 2004-2005. His work with the TMC (troop medical clinic) in Baghdad, Iraq gave him the distinction of being one of the first chiropractors to treat soldiers in combat situations.
Dr. Eldridge serves with the 321st Military Intelligence Battalion as a Military Integrator/Maintainer. His primary role will be securing data and communications conduits in and around the military compounds in his area. Due to operational security, his exact location in country cannot be disclosed.
"I joined the military during the beginning stages of the Afghan war," says Dr. Eldridge, "And I am very excited that I will get to serve on this front and to help secure a free and Democratic Afghanistan. I am also looking forward to treating the troops in my unit and those units with whom we interact. Chiropractic is a much-needed addition to the military and I hope that I am able to add to the freedom of others by treating soldiers."
While the military does not have practicing chiropractors as part of its medical team, Dr. Eldridge's knowledge and expertise as a chiropractor will be used in a secondary role to combat the stress, fatigue and injuries that are a result of combat operations. A government program started in 1995, the Chiropractic Health Care Demonstration Program (CHCDP), demonstrated overwhelmingly that chiropractic would be beneficial to our troops and that chiropractors would fit well with current health care providers.
Let the president, congressional representatives, and Department of Defense know how important chiropractic is to those serving in the military so that our military overseas will soon have the same care that we enjoy in the states. You can follow Dr. Eldridge's journey from civilian doctor to combat veteran at www.chiropracticepro.com/journeyblog.
About Dr. Eldridge:
Dr. Josh Eldridge graduated from National University of Health Sciences in 2002 and enlisted in the United States Army the same year, feeling the tug of national pride and the pull of national duty after the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. He spent his first tour of duty in Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division. On his return, he purchased the Rocky Mountain Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Clinic in Greeley, Colo. He also co-developed the ChiroPractice Pro office management software. Dr. Eldridge is married and has three young children ages 4, 3 and 6 months.
Source: ChiroPractice Pro
When I graduated from chiropractic college in 1981 and started practice, I heard it all, and very little was positive. “You are a quack; you do not know what a subluxation is; you couldn’t get into a real health care program, so you chose the one that is slightly above a mail-order degree; you have no proof that chiropractic works; Are you really licensed?”, and so much more.
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