Chiropractors Offer Free Care to Returning US Veterans

A release in June 2008 by the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) offers one year of free care to US veterans returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. A similar story and offer was aired June 9, 2008 on the ABC News affiliate KITV in Hawaii.

The ICA release notes that Doctors of Chiropractic from around the United States have answered the call to participate in a new initiative aimed at supporting America's newest returning veterans with immediate access to chiropractic services.  The ICA release notes, "Out of a desire to serve and to fill in a vitally important health care gap, ICA doctors around the nation have extended an offer of care for one full year for any US military veteran returning from overseas deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq, at no charge. The concept was developed by ICA's Southern Regional Director Dr. R.J. Kelly, who had initiated such a program in his own personal practice, with very positive results among veterans."

The KITV story noted that ground forces in Iraq can carry about 100 pounds of body armor and other gear on their backs, while helicopter crews carry at least 75 pounds worth of equipment.  Dr. Micaire Baxter of Hawaii is married to Captain Sean Baxter who is an army helicopter pilot stationed at Wheeler Army Airfield and who has done two tours in Iraq. Captain Baxter explained that his military service has taken a toll on his back, "I definitely have a lot of back pain, lower back especially, and neck pain, was the biggest one I noticed."

Dr. Kelly of Houston, Texas explained his motivation for the initiation of the ICA's program by saying, "The greatest gift we have to give is the correction of the vertebral subluxation to restore the flow of Innate in another.  My greatest joy is to be allowed to do that for the people I meet. I am pleased that so many of my ICA colleagues share my vision and my understanding of this current need."  He continued, "Right now there are literally thousands in our country that are offering an even greater gift... their lives. Our military, our returning veterans, whether visibly wounded or free of outward symptoms, are coming home changed, and need our help as chiropractors."

ICA Executive Director Robert N. Pohtos, himself a veteran, added, "We want to help volunteer doctors reach out to the returning veteran population in a spirit of service in the most clinically sound, ethically based and timely manner possible."  ICA has posted an initial roster of participating doctors of chiropractic on the ICA website at www.chiropractic.org and will update this resource directory as additional doctors join the volunteer ranks.

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