House Introduces Resolution Calling for Immediate Commissioning of Chiropractors into Armed Forces U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Thelma Drake (R-Va.), Robert Brady (D-Penn.), and Ron Paul (R-Texas) have introduced a resolution, backed by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), that calls for immediate establishment of a career path for doctors of chiropractic as commissioned officers in the U.S. Armed Forces. House Concurrent Resolution 294 states that although the Secretary of Defense has statutory authority to commission doctors of chiropractic as military officers, the Pentagon has failed to do so. The resolution specifically expresses the view of Congress that the Secretary of Defense take immediate steps to appoint doctors of chiropractic as commissioned officers in the military health care system. A concurrent resolution is a formal proclamation that states the opinion of Congress, and does not require the president's approval and thus does not have the force of law. “Chiropractic inclusion in the officer health care corps of the Armed Forces is long overdue,” says ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC. “With passage of this resolution, not only will our men and women in uniform have access to the best treatment options available for musculoskeletal pain, but chiropractic inclusion can significantly decrease military health care expenditures by reducing the number and prevalence of chronic structural injuries.” According to Reps. Abercrombie and Drake, military personnel in combat theaters of operation are in urgent need of access to the widest possible range of health care options, especially for nueromusculoskeletal conditions. Furthermore, a 2007 report from the Veterans Health Administration indicates that nearly 45 percent of veterans returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan who have sought VA health care did so for symptoms associated with musculoskeletal ailments – the top complaint of those tracked for the report. For years, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has championed the effort to more fully integrate chiropractic care—a proven and cost-effective health care choice—into the military and veterans’ health care systems. According to Dr. Manceaux, ACA is committed to working with Reps. Abercrombie, Drake, Brady, Paul and other pro-chiropractic members of Congress, to ensure that the members of the U.S. Armed Forces receive unrestricted access to the chiropractic benefit. Contact our local chiropractor to help relieve your chronic back pain