After six years of college a chiropractor is not entitled to a commission upon joining the military. It is very simple. First and foremost it is to save the lives of the men and women that have been injured as a result of armed conflict. I have heard numerous anecdotal stories of a chiropractor saving someone's life by adjusting them, but I personally would prefer to have an MD there if my fighter had taken a hit and I sustained a broken arm during ejection. The primary function of military medicine is best illustrated by considering the term triage.
Objectivity is the pivotal criterion in triage.
Only lately has objectivity become pivotal in chiropractic. In ten years of private practice I have saved several lives by recognizing a life threatening situation and referring the patient immediately for care. We are a portal of entry. Often we see these life threatening cases before any other health care provider and are trained to recognize them and refer them to the appropriate specialist. We could perform this service in the military with little change in the present allopathic structure.