JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
On Oct. 19-27, 2012, seven military physicians were invited to visit China by Professor Zhu Jiang, School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The visit was approved by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Air Force/International Affairs Global Strategy.
The purpose of the tour was to promote good will between our civilian and military Chinese colleague physicians and to exchange acupuncture information.
Both teams discussed the practice of acupuncture in military and university academic hospitals. In particular, our team was interested in acupuncture treatments of pain, mild traumatic brain injury, and psychological conditions such as post traumatic stress, resiliency, prevention and internal medicine.
"A very large and impressive contingent of Chinese military and civilian medical personnel greeted and saluted us outside the Chinese Air Force Hospital as they stepped off the van. General Yang Ming-hui and Senior Colonel Luo Yongchang were out front to welcome us with warmth and sincerity," said Retired Col. (Dr.) Richard Niemtzow, Director, Air Force Acupuncture Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md. and the Air Force Surgeon General's Consultant for Complementary & Alternative Medicine.
"We were honored and escorted inside the building which was lined with nurses and other military personnel that graciously guided us to the highly decorated conference room. Most noticeable was the display of the Chinese and American flags. We had a very collegiate exchange of military acupuncture information," said Dr. Niemtzow.
Our team discussed how acupuncture is used in the U.S. Armed Forces and taught two short courses in Battlefield Acupuncture and Dry Mouth Post Radiation Therapy. Both acupuncture treatments were developed by Dr. Niemtzow.