Dr. Niemtzow passed away on February 2, 2025. Dr. Richard C. Niemtzow (1942–2025) was a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and a pioneering physician who served as the first full-time acupuncturist in the armed forces. He is most widely recognized as the founder of Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA), a rapid, drug-free auricular technique he developed in 2001 to provide immediate pain relief in clinical and combat settings.

Originally trained as a radiation oncologist, Niemtzow's career shifted toward integrative medicine, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Medical Acupuncture for more than 25 years. In addition to BFA, he pioneered specialized acupuncture protocols for various conditions, including post-radiation dry mouth (xerostomia), PTSD, and macular degeneration. His work is credited with transforming pain management culture within the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

With Dr. Niemtzow and Dr. Lee at Walter Reed, 2006

In 2006 I spent one week at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center learning auricular (ear) acupuncture from him. Everyday I followed him as he made his rounds treating wounded soldiers from the Afghan war. He was most generous in sharing his knowledge and experience. Aside from opening up my horizons in auricular acupuncture, I was impressed and influenced by his methodology and insistent goal of achieving immediate results for every patient. He was a pioneer and visionary in many areas and one of his visions was that the future belongs to acupuncture (non-drug) medicine.