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The Armed Services Blood Program
Welcome to the Armed Services Blood Program's (ASBP) e-newsletter. With this e-newsletter you will get current news on how the ASBP is expanding and changing to meet the needs of the military family it serves. Please take a moment and forward this e-newsletter on to others so that they can join our mailing list too! You can also read more stories and schedule your blood donation appointment online by visiting our website at militaryblood.dod.mil. Warmest regards, The Armed Services Blood Program |
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ASBPO Welcomes New Director
COL Francisco Rentas, MS, USA joins the Armed Services Blood Program Office
(ASBPO) with over 27 years of military and blood banking experience. A
long-term advocate of the ASBP and its mission, COL Rentas has identified one
ultimate goal he would like to reach during his tenure. "I would like to work
with the service blood program directors to evaluate policies, processes, and
procedures and increase efficiencies everywhere we can." Looking toward the
future, COL Rentas is also excited about the young and outstanding officers
graduating from the Blood Bank Fellowship Program at Walter Reed Army Medical
Center. "They will keep this program going for many years to
come."
COL Rentas knows the need for readily available blood first hand,
as his mother was a regular recipient of blood for several years. With
a
personal connection to the ASBP, COL Rentas is ready to take on
any challenges that may come his way.
A warm welcome goes out to COL
Francisco Rentas from the entire ASBP staff. |
ASBP Adds a Second Weekly Flight with Blood Supplies to Theater
The ASBP has kicked off a new effort to get blood in-theater faster than ever before. Blood was previously expected to reach military field hospitals approximately 14 days after collection; with the additional weekly flight, it is expected that blood will arrive in-theater no later than seven days after collection.
Major David Lincoln, Deputy Director at ASBPO explains that this new transportation schedule has a direct impact on saving the lives of our warriors. "The earlier blood arrives on the shelves, the better equipped our doctors are to save lives, even if you look at it from an inventory perspective."
COL Francisco Rentas, Director, ASBPO, sends a well-deserved note of congratulations to the Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory at McGuire Air Force Base "for leading the way in making this historic flight a reality." |
Bleed Maroon II Blood Drive a Great Success
October 2008 marked the second annual "Bleed Maroon" blood drive at Texas A&M University which was held in honor of a fallen solider and Texas A&M student, Major Matthew Worrell. Noot Burnett, friend of the ASBP and co-founder of the annual blood drive writes:
"The
tireless organizers, phlebotomists, and support workers processed folks
from the Corps of Cadets, the general student population, the local community,
and from as far away as Cameron, TX. Of that
number we processed 533 folks and captured 464 good units of blood to
place in the military pipeline for our young men and women and their families.
The good units are ones that passed the stringent criteria that the Robertson
Blood Center at Ft. Hood exacts to ensure the blood that is provided to our
military is some of the finest in the world."
The ASBP staff would like to send many thanks to all who volunteered and donated. Your support to our men and women in uniform is immeasurable.
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Two Reasons to Give Today
A patient could be forced to pass up a lifesaving organ, if compatible blood is not available to support the transplant.
Once you give blood, you'll be one pint lighter.
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