Parker College: Press Release
Brigadier General (Retired) Rebecca S. Halstead Shared Mission to Continue Serving on Veterans Day
November 11, 2009 (Dallas) — Parker College of Chiropractic held a Veterans Day celebration in honor of United States veterans and active military members. Guest speaker Brigadier General (retired) Rebecca S. Halstead shared her journey as the first woman to serve as Chief of Ordnance for the United States Army. She also spoke about the importance of veterans’ mission to continue serving after duty. Local military officers and community members attended the celebration.
“Today we honor and salute the many millions of Veterans from all of our services,” said Brigadier General Halstead. “You are all connected through this legacy of service.”
In 1977, Brigadier General Halstead was one of 104 women to enter the U.S. Military Academy’s second class that included women, and she was one of 63 to graduate in 1981. She was commissioned in the Ordnance Corps upon graduation from the academy and later became the first female graduate to achieve the rank of general officer.
“Figure out your purpose in life and live everyday as if it were the last and make a difference in that way,” said Brigadier General Halstead.
Brigadier General Halstead stressed the importance of serving each other. She chose to spend her Veterans Day speaking at Parker College because of its mission to serve others through chiropractic care. She explained that for years she suffered with chronic fibromyalgia, but was positively impacted once she discovered chiropractic care. “The chiropractor was the one place I could go and walk out feeling better,” said Brigadier General Halstead.
Brigadier General Halstead assisted Parker College in welcoming home Soh Yong, a reservist who was called to duty in Iraq during her second trimester at Parker. Brigadier General Halstead presented Yong with a U.S Army Freedom Team Salute package including an official U.S Army lapel pin, and certificate of appreciation signed by both the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Army.
“General Halstead exemplifies living a life of service,” said Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, president of Parker College of Chiropractic. “Through chiropractic we can serve the health of the world.”
Parker College honored 46 students, faculty, and staff who are veterans that continue to serve the nation through chiropractic. Parker also contributes to the mission to serve the nation’s heroes through its VA Clinical Chiropractic Internship, which provides up to 12 interns per year through the North Texas VA Hospital PM&R Spine Department. The chiropractic interns provide much needed service to the veteran population.
US House of Representatives recently approved an expanded Armed Forces access to chiropractic overseas. Additionally, 11 military hospitals and clinics will provide access to chiropractic services for active duty military, to include three overseas locations.
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About Parker College of ChiropracticÂ
Parker College of Chiropractic, located in Dallas, is one of the country’s leading educators of health care professionals with an international student enrollment. Founded in 1982, this private, non-profit educational institution prepares men and women to become doctors of chiropractic. Parker College of Chiropractic is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the bachelor of science and doctor of chiropractic degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA, 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Parker College of Chiropractic. The doctor of chiropractic degree program of Parker College of Chiropractic is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Chiropractic Education, 8049 North 85th Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85258-4321. Tel: 480.443.8877. For additional information about Parker College of Chiropractic, visit the college’s website at www.parkercc.edu.