Blood, life given

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Siuta B. Ika
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Armed Services Blood Program held a blood drive at the Community Activities Center Feb. 24. The blood drive was open to servicemembers, their families and anyone able to get on base.

All donations from the drive go directly to military hospitals and to war-fighters overseas.

"The blood that is donated today helps save lives down range and in our military treatment facilities," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Susan Alleyn, chief of the Donor Center at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. "Ten days from the date of collection, we have the blood in-theater to our war-fighters and in military treatment facilities for servicemembers, dependents and retirees."

Blood donation is a common practice and is promoted to the civilian and military populations through programs sponsored by the ASBP and the American Red Cross. William Beaumont Army Medical Center, based out of Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas, holds and sponsors blood drives at various military installations throughout the southwestern region of the United States.

"We go to Ft. Bliss, Ft. Huachuca, Ariz., Kirtland AFB, N.M., White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and Ft. Carson, Colo., and " Alleyn said. "We come to Holloman every eight weeks."

Currently, Holloman has more than 500 personnel deployed to various locations around the globe. With the increased military operations and the humanitarian relief efforts being supported by our servicemembers, there is an increased need for blood for all U.S. military personnel regardless of the branch of service.

"This program provides an opportunity for servicemembers, their families, and civilians to support our military in a definitive, meaningful way," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Brett Dorey, the installation blood drive coordinator. "Donations ensure life-saving blood products are available whenever and wherever servicemembers and their families are in need."

The ASBP is the official U.S. military blood program and collects a list from units deployed overseas of what types and how much blood is needed. Once they've sent the requested amount, the remaining blood goes into a pool that is then distributed, as needed, to different military treatment facilities throughout the Armed Forces.

For more information on the ASBP, visit their Web site at www.militaryblood.dod.mil, and for more information on blood drives at Holloman and when they will be held, visit the official Holloman Web site at www.holloman.af.mil.