LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
"Donating blood saves lives," said Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The mission of the Armed Services Blood Program is to provide quality blood and blood products for all active-duty personnel and family members worldwide, said Mr. Ralph Peters, ASBP Naval Medical Center Portsmouth site's blood donor recruiter. No civilian donor program has this particular mission.
"About half of what we collect goes to our troops in Iraq and Afganistan," said Mr. Peters, "and the other half serves military treatment facilities like Langley and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth."
According to the
ASBP Web site, 40 or more units of blood could be required for a single trauma victim.
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's goal is between 500 to 700 units a month, said Mr. Peters. One donation equals one unit. One unit can cost an average of $260 if purchased from a civilian donor program.
To meet the monthly goal, ASBP personnel get up around 5 a.m. to coordinate drives, package supplies for that day's drive, work the typical four-hour drive and then returning to NMCP to process the units, said Mr. Peters. Their day is not done until all donations from that day have been processed.
The Sept. 9 ASBP drive at Langley had an excellent turn out with 71 donors, said Mr. Peters.
Unfortunately, not everyone can donate. Individuals who lived in
Europe can be deferred from donating indefinitely depending on the length of time. The list shortens every time servicemembers come back from deployments to
Iraq and Afganistan as well.
Other restrictions such as pregnancy, blood transfusions and recent tattoos can prevent people from donating as well.
However, there are other opportunities for people to help even if they're deferred from giving blood.
Mr. Peters wants people to encourage others to donate by informing them about the ASBP and who the blood goes to and by
volunteering at blood drives in the area.
Armed Services Blood Program will provide another opportunity to donate or volunteer at Langley's Community Center Oct. 9 at 9 a.m.
For more information about the
ASBP or to schedule an appointment to donate, visit the Web site at
http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil.