| Armed Services Blood Program Newsletter |
December 8, 2010 | |
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From the Desk of:
COL Francisco Rentas, Director, ASBPO
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In this month's issue, we highlight several impressive stories across the military blood program. Maj. Gen. Douglas J. Robb, the joint staff surgeon visited the Blood Transhipment Center in Southwest Asia, the PEPFAR Initiative held a Blood Safety Workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and in Georgia students and staff from two dueling universities turned a football rivalry into a blood rivalry. In the midst of this holiday season, I would like to extend my personal gratitude to all Armed Services Blood Program teammates for what you do every day to support those in need. I also want to thank our dedicated donors that support our service men and women worldwide. Your support helps ensure that those in the military community who are sick or injured, receive this precious gift when it is needed most. Happy Holidays to you and yours! Warm regards, COL Francisco Rentas
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Add a Blood Donation to Your Holiday Gift List
 The Armed Services Blood Program encourages you to donate blood this holiday season. It is not uncommon for blood donations to decrease during the holiday months while the demand for blood does not. As we begin to celebrate with our family and friends, what a beautiful way to gift service men, women and their families who are ill or injured.
The Armed Services Blood Program operates over 20 blood donor centers worldwide, and all of them will be hosting blood drives throughout the holiday season in an effort to ensure that the military community continues to receive the blood they need. If you have not already done so, please add a blood donation appointment to your holiday calendar.
Read the entire press release on the ASBP website, or use our online scheduling system to make your donation appointment at your local blood donor center today!
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Joint Staff Surgeon, Maj. Gen. Robb, Visits Blood Transshipment Center
 While attending the November 2010, United States Central Command conference, Joint Staff Surgeon, Office of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Maj. Gen. Douglas J. Robb stopped by the Blood Transshipment Center in Southwest Asia, to thank the troops and team there for their hard work and dedication.
When service men and women or civilians are wounded, many are transported to the nearest medical facility to receive treatment. The Blood Transshipment Center acts a hub for those blood products, receiving, processing, storing and distributing blood products needed throughout the area of responsibility supporting operations New Dawn, Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint task Force Horn of Africa. When a wounded soldier, airman, sailor or Marine requires a blood product as part of their treatment, the Blood Transshipment Center springs into action.
Nearly 95 percent of the center's blood products are donated by the military through the Armed Services Blood Program. Like Robb, Maj. Brian Dart, chief of the Blood Transshipment Center, recognizes the importance of the team.
"Obviously it's a tremendous team effort," he said. "I don't mean just the team here, but it starts back in the States with volunteer donors and those members recruiting donors, collecting and processing the products-a true team effort from cradle to grave, making a direct impact on winning the war." Of the visit from Robb, Dart said: "We are the lifeline when it comes to providing blood and blood products downrange on such a large scale. It was excellent to be able to show senior leaders that this mission is essential and successful for the war-fighters downrange." Photo: Joint Staff Surgeon, Office of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Maj. Gen. Douglas Robb.
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PEPFAR Spotlight: U.S. Pacific Command Joint Blood Program Holds Cambodia Blood Safety Workshop
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From June 7-16, 2010, the U.S. Pacific Command Joint Blood Program held a Blood Safety Workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Initiative. Nearly 60 military and civilian participants from various military and civilian blood centers, district hospitals and regional hospitals throughout the provinces attended the workshop.
During the workshop, attendees had the opportunity to take part in discussions on a variety of topics, including whole blood collection procedures, adverse effects to blood donation, blood storage and inventory management, and infectious disease testing. Perhaps one of the most successful outcomes of the workshop was the training on manufacturing platelets at the National Blood Transfusion Services.
By the end of the five day workshop, it was obvious that the training programs were successful. Before completing the training courses, the average score on pre-training tests was 49.79 percent. After the training, attendees took a post-class test, which resulted in a 36 percent increase in the class average score. Minor equipment was also ordered for the next practical application workshop.
For more information on the PEPFAR Initiative, please visit the PEPFAR official website.
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Picture This!
The ASBP Focal Point picture of the month
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 1st Cavalry Division Horse Detachment Sgts. Chris Beno and Brandon Donaldson show off 1870s vintage Army equipment at Career Day in McGregor, Texas. The Horse Detachment is the only unit on Fort Hood to donate more units of blood than it has troopers assigned.
To learn more about the Robertson Blood Center, Fort Hood, Texas, visit their site.
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| Football Rivalry Turns into a Blood Rivalry
 Turns out the rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Georgia extends beyond the gridiron. On Nov. 9, 2010, students and staff from Auburn University showed up at Fort Benning, Ga., to donate a pint of blood to the Armed Services Blood Program-hoping to beat their long standing football rivals. The Kendrick Memorial Blood Donor Center, an Armed Services Blood Program blood donor center from Fort Gordon, Ga., conducted a blood drive with the University of Georgia a few weeks prior and mum was the word when it came to how many pints Auburn had to donate in order to be victorious.
Read the entire story on the ASBP website.
Photo: Midshipman Sarah Stutler, Auburn University Blood Drive Coordinator, and Aubbie, the school's mascot promote the Armed Services Blood Program at the Fort Benning, Ga., Blood Donor Center on Nov. 9, 2010.
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