What other forms of complementary and alternative medicine are currently in use, or being contemplated for use, in the Air Force?

For the most part at this time, just acupuncture. We don’t have enough data on the other complementary and alternative medicines to be convinced that it is worthwhile to begin to have physicians practicing in these areas. I’m not saying that they’re not worthwhile, but the Air Force is attempting to establish acupuncture.

I know that there are chiropractors officially involved in treating members of all branches of the Armed Forces. Are you not defining them as complementary and alternative?

I guess I forgot about them. They’ve been practicing for several years and I almost feel that chiropractors are essentially part of mainstream medicine, because they get a lot of referrals from physicians. I would say that in the Armed Forces, chiropractors have been present more so than acupuncturists and are several years ahead of us.

You mentioned that some of the people you have treated as part of your official duties have been wounded in the wars overseas. Is acupuncture used at all on the battlefield itself?

There have been some reports that physicians who are stationed very close to the war theater have used acupuncture. To what extent, I don’t know. I don’t think it has been used on the battlefield among the shooting and firing of weapons. It’s been mainly restricted to the large hospitals that are close to the war zone.

I read recently that there was a proposal to train non-MD military medics in acupuncture methods for acute pain control. It reminded me to some extent of the “barefoot doctor” approach in mid-20th century China. Has that idea been considered?

I can only speak for the Air Force, where right now the emphasis is to train physicians and, in that regard, to consider increasing the number of physicians who can practice acupuncture adjunctively to their specialty. As far as the other services, the Army and Navy, I’ve heard rumors but I don’t have any further information as to whether this has materialized or not.

From your point of view, would such a program make sense? Do you think that it’s potentially a good idea, assuming the logistics could be worked out?

I think that right now, for the Air Force, acupuncture should be limited to physicians until it’s fully developed. At this time, it’s not a Tricare [military medical insurance] benefit, so military beneficiaries do not have this as a medical benefit. Acupuncture occurs at various bases because you have an interest on the part of physicians that wish to practice it along with their specialties, but there is no requirement that acupuncture be practiced at any military facility.

To answer your question, I think the most important thing is that our medical system is mainly based on a Western diagnosis. So for people practicing acupuncture and diagnosing a patient for the first time in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this type of diagnosis would not fit in. Our regular Western physicians would have no way of interpreting it. And, of course, because acupuncture is not a Department of Defense benefit, it would be awkward and not fit into the system. At this point it’s very premature.

So we’re talking about an incremental evolution, one in which you are playing a key role. When I first became aware of your work, you were at the Naval Air Station in San Diego. You later came to Maryland. Where you work now, what is your typical day like as a full-time acupuncture practitioner?