William E. Morgan, D.C.

Chiropractic's most successful penetration of mainstream health care has indisputably been in the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare systems-chiropractors now practice at 42 military sites and more than 20 VA sites. Doctors of chiropractic have overcome a variety of cultural obstacles and occupational adversaries in the 10 years since the first military chiropractic sites were opened.

From the beginning, chiropractic was a natural fit for the military healthcare system:

• The military healthcare system is modeled on wellness versus disease care. It is, by design, tasked with keeping members of the military healthy and fit to fight.
  
• Greed is removed from the equation. Since healthcare providers are not competing with other professions for patients and money, they concentrate on what is best for the patient rather than on financial gain. Professions do not look at each other as competition, but as resources.
  
• The military promotes fair play. Overt displays of personal prejudices are not allowed in the DoD. If someone acts unprofessionally and obstinate toward a chiropractor, the DC can seek an intervention from his or her chain of command.

The history of chiropractors in the military dates back many decades-long before implementation of the DoD chiropractic demonstration project in 1995. In the early years, chiropractors-such as the renowned Galen Price in World War II-answered their country's call and entered military service. With a hesitant consent from his superiors, Dr. Price practiced chiropractic outside of the official medical system. He and others like him took on the collateral duty of "chiropractor" in addition to their normal military duties.

In the 1980s, while working as a reserve hospital corpsman, I recall adjusting patients at the medical clinic for the Navy Special Warfare Command (SEALs) in Coronado , Calif. , with the consent of our medical officer. During this time, the medical officers witnessed the popularity and success of chiropractic care; they were surprised to learn how many men bypassed the free medical care provided by the Navy to pay out-of-pocket to see chiropractors off base.

Most DCs are now familiar with the photos of Mark Losak, DC, adjusting patients in front of Saddam Hussein's palace. Dr. Losak was recalled to active duty from private practice to serve as a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. In fact, we currently have several DCs serving our country on active duty around the world, but none are serving in a chiropractic billet . We have no uniformed chiropractors, and we have no chiropractors serving (at least in an official capacity) overseas or in harm's way.

Moreover, the chiropractic benefit is available at only 42 of the military's 238 training facilities. Retirees and dependents of service members are also still not eligible for care, and there are no plans for placing chiropractors in uniform or deploying them overseas or to combat areas. There is much that needs to be done.

We as a profession receive many benefits from DCs serving in the military and the VA: developing collegial relationships with other specialties, participating in research, teaching the next generation of chiropractors and medical doctors through cooperative residency exchanges, having access to advanced diagnostic imagery, and having access to rapidly evolving healthcare technology. Without a doubt, however, the highest honor, and the best reason for working toward further integration, is the privilege of providing care to a very special population of patients-our nation's heroes.

Semper Fidelis.