My name is John MacDonald and I am a Vietnam-Era
(i.e. I didn’t serve in Vietnam) U.S. Army Veteran. I am on the Advisory Committee of the Veterans Project of
the non-profit Acupuncturists Without Borders. Our organization is devoted to utilizing community-style acupuncture
treatments to bring trauma relief to communities that have undergone significant trauma. We were organized and became
active in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and provided over 8,000 free trauma treatments in New Orleans.
Our second major initiative is to promote
the establishment of free trauma relief clinics across the country to treat combat veterans and active duty returnees and
their families from Iraq and Afghanistan. We have several clinics in operation already and are actively working to establish
more. Although our original vision was centered around the trauma caused by Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, the clinics
(which are self-established with our assistance) have treated veterans from all wars back to WWII.
One such combat veteran,
a 4 Star General, commented:
"You have heard about our soldiers returning from Iraq
suffering from post-traumatic syndrome. Our soldiers from other wars such as World War II, Korea and Vietnam also suffered
from the same illness but it was called different names.
There is an organization of practicing acupuncture specialists
who want to use acupuncture to help these men returning from war.
This group is attempting to raise money to match
a grant to use acupuncture in the treatment of these soldiers. I have participated and believe it can help. I fully support
the efforts of this organization." General Richard H. Thompson, U.S. Army (retired).
The
type of community-style acupuncture we offer is appropriate for all PTSD sufferers. It is especially appropriate for
combat veterans, given their high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, because it is the protocol promoted by the National Acupuncture
Detoxification Association (NADA). Although not an acupuncturist myself, I am trained in the protocol. I learned
that not only is the treatment beneficial as an immediate relief from trauma, it often serves to help trauma victims become
comfortable seeking other forms of therapy.
It is absolutely astounding
that a country with so much wealth, albeit unevenly distributed, and which professes such high ideals routinely sends its
young in harm’s way and then abandons them upon their return, to try to muddle through their shattered lives.
We have a whole new generation of suicides, divorces, incarcerations, alcoholism and drug addiction to contend with, much
of which could be prevented with timely and effective intervention.
One purpose of this email is to let
you know that you and your brothers and sisters are not forgotten and neither will be your brothers and sisters of the current
conflicts—the sons and daughters, and even the grandsons and granddaughters, of our generation. I thank you and
your comrades for serving your Country faithfully even when its leaders did not faithfully give you the support that you needed—then
and now. Although Acupuncturists Without Borders is a relatively small organization, it is truly amazing how much healing
can be done with a few pennies’ worth of needles and a compassionate heart. I will keep you informed as to the
progress and location of the Veteran’s clinics.
Sincerely yours,
Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans Project
Advisory Committee - Acupuncturists Without Borders
584 Middletown Boulevard, Ste. A50
Langhorne, PA 19047
215-760-7292
– Direct
215-757-6100 –Office
Help Hurricane
Victims and Returning Afghan/Iraq Veterans & Families
.
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