When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
Brigadier General Rebecca Halstead Helps Parker College Honor Our Nation’s Heroes
Parker College of Chiropractic held a Veterans Day celebration in honor of United States veterans and active military members. Guest speaker Brigadier General (retired) Rebecca S. Halstead shared her journey as the first woman to serve as chief of ordnance for the United States Army. She also spoke about the importance of veterans' mission to continue serving after duty. Local military officers and community members attended the celebration.
"Today we honor and salute the many millions of veterans from all of our services," said Brigadier General Halstead. "You are all connected through this legacy of service."
In 1977, Brigadier General Halstead was one of 104 women to enter the U.S. Military Academy's second class that included women and one of 63 to graduate in 1981. She was commissioned in the Ordnance Corps upon graduation from the academy and later became the first female graduate to achieve the rank of general officer.
"Figure out your purpose in life and live every day as if it were the last and make a difference in that way," said Brigadier General Halstead.
Brigadier General Halstead also stressed the importance of serving each other. She chose to spend her Veterans Day speaking at Parker College because of its mission to serve others through chiropractic care. She explained that for years she suffered with chronic fibromyalgia, but was positively impacted once she discovered chiropractic care.
"The chiropractor was the one place I could go and walk out feeling better," said Brigadier General Halstead.
Brigadier General Halstead assisted Parker College in welcoming home Soh Yong, a reservist who was called to duty in Iraq during her second trimester. Brigadier General Halstead presented Yong with a U.S Army Freedom Team Salute package, including an official U.S Army lapel pin and certificate of appreciation signed by both the chief of staff and the secretary of the Army.
"General Halstead exemplifies living a life of service," said Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker College. "Through chiropractic we can serve the health of the world."
The college honored 46 veterans as students, faculty, and staff who are continuing to serve the nation through chiropractic. Parker also contributes to the mission to serve the nation's heroes through its VA Clinical Chiropractic Internship, which provides up to 12 interns per year through the North Texas VA Hospital PM&R Spine Department. The chiropractic interns provide much needed service to the veteran population.
Source: Parker College of Chiropractic