June 12, 2007
 
WVSOM Graduates Provide Osteopathic Medicine to Soldiers in Iraq
 
By HNN Staff
 
Lewisburg, WV (HNN) – LTC John Peters, D.O., (WVSOM Class of 1996), and LTC Dave Romine, D.O., M.P.H., (WVSOM Class of 1992), are both serving with the Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Camp Taji in Baghdad, Iraq.
 
Dr. Peters, Chief, Dept. of Dermatology at Martin Army Community Hospital, Ft. Benning, Georgia, is assigned as the battalion Flight Surgeon for the 1-615th Aviation Support Battalion. Dr. Romine, a Family Physician and Aerospace Medicine Specialist, is the Air Cavalry Brigade Surgeon, out of Ft. Hood, Texas. Drs. Peters and Romine were deployed to Iraq in September 2006.
 
While all flight surgeons and military healthcare providers are trained to help prevent, recognize and manage all aspects of an aviator’s healthcare, it is the osteopathic flight surgeon who has been uniquely trained to provide the most immediate and effective treatment for ailing Army pilots. Manipulative medicine skills make the osteopathic physician the most sought-after doctor in the brigade.
 
Among the unique health issues facing aviators are problems of the spine, especially those of the neck and upper back. Fighting and flying seat positions in the aircraft, constant vibration and other forces both inside and outside the helicopter combine to create a difficult physical environment for aviators. Throw in the inherent physical, emotional and relational stressors of being deployed for a year or more of continued flight operations in a combat zone and you have the makings of one of the most demanding occupations for any pilot, be it military or civilian.
 
All personnel in this brigade of nearly 3,000 soldiers benefit from the presence of Drs. Peters and Romine. “The different type of work that makes up ‘soldiering’ is demanding and there’s always a place for Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine in their treatment program,” said Dr. Romine
 
The two WVSOM alums have been pleased to offer what is, for some soldiers, their first exposure to osteopathic medicine and a holistic approach to wellness. As the Air Cavalry Surgeon, Dr. Romine has worked with his command leadership to instill an overall “Culture of Wellness,” including a balanced approach to keeping troops well by focusing on healthy minds, bodies, spiritual lives and work and living environments. This emphasis on the whole person is an approach that he and Dr. Peters received from their earliest training at WVSOM and something to which their brigade leadership has responded to with enthusiasm.
 
The physicians also received an invaluable assist from the WVSOM Osteopathic Principles and Practice Department, which made electronic resources available on the school website. “The WVSOM OP&P Department prepared several power point slide shows and placed them on-line for Dr. Peters and myself to access. It’s an overview of the principles for applying osteopathic manipulative treatment. It served as an on-the-fly refresher course for us,” remarked Dr. Romine.
 
David Essig-Beatty, D.O., OP&P Chairperson, responded that the WVSOM OP&P faculty is “delighted to share this teaching resource to help osteopathic physicians care for injured and ailing soldiers and civilians in the Iraq conflict.”
 
Upon their return to the U.S., Dr. Peters looks forward to being back in Georgia with his family and his Army Dermatology practice. Dr. Romine plans to return to Texas with the 1st Cavalry Division and continue his work with active-duty military personnel and their families as well as serving on the NASA/USAF Shuttle Operations Medical Support Team.