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From the Desk of:
Col. Richard H. McBride, Director, ASBPO
 In this issue of Focal Point, we highlight our 60th Anniversary and National Blood Donor Month Celebration. It was an excellent way to thank those who make the Armed Services Blood Program successful -- our dedicated donors. We also introduce Air Force Lt. Col. Angela Hudson, the new chief of the Air Force Blood Program Division, Air Force Medical Operations Agency, and share some of our favorite stories from 2012. In our No Uniform Required section, you'll meet Vern Fowler, a donor saving lives at the Pentagon, and in our Picture This! section, we share one of our favorite photos from the recent West Point blood drive. This year is off to a great start, and we have our donors, staff and volunteers to thank. Let's continue to make this an outstanding year! Best regards,
Col. Richard H. McBride |
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ASBP Celebrates 60 Years of Donors in Style
Fifes and a drum, a "Godfather" reference, an impromptu speech from a general, and a personal message from a mother whose son received lifesaving blood -- these are just a few of the highlights from the Armed Services Blood Program's 60th Anniversary and National Blood Donor Month Celebration. Held on Jan. 25 at the Defense Health Headquarters in Falls Church, Va., the first-of-its-kind ceremony brought together many of military medicine's leadership, past, present and future.
One of the most unexpected moments of the afternoon was the spur-of-the-moment speech from Air Force Maj. Gen. Douglas Robb, the joint staff surgeon. Just as Air Force Col. Richard H. McBride, director of the Armed Services Blood Program, stood up to thank the donors, staff, volunteers and supporters who make saving lives possible, Robb "called an audible," jumped on stage and gave an entertaining speech in which he spoke highly of McBride. Robb described how McBride had played a singular role in-theater to shape how blood management is handled downrange.
A startled, yet beaming, McBride then delivered the closing remarks, thanking all the men and women who have dedicated their time to saving lives. Without donors, the Armed Services Blood Program wouldn't be able to save lives of ill or injured service members, veterans and their families worldwide.
For more celebration highlights, read the entire article on the ASBP website.
Image: Retired Army Col. Tony Polk, former director of the Armed Services Blood Program from 1984 to 1991 (left) and Army Capt. Chih Huang, current Specialist in Blood Banking Fellowship student (right) cut the 60th Anniversary and National Blood Donor Month Celebration cake.
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Air Force Blood Program Division Welcomes Lt. Col. Angela Hudson
 Air Force Lt. Col Angela Hudson is the new chief of the Air Force Blood Program Division, Air Force Medical Operations Agency in San Antonio, Texas. In this position, she represents the Air Force Surgeon General on blood operations, mission planning and quality assurance of the military blood supply. Her primary responsibilities are the welfare, effective utilization, training and career progression of personnel, and the organizational performance of three FDA-licensed blood donor centers, 15 transfusion services and two Armed Services Blood Processing Laboratories that collect, process and ship more than 80 thousand blood products annually worldwide for peacetime and contingency missions. Her previous assignment was as the chief of the Laboratory Support and Core Laboratory, the largest laboratory in the Air Force, at the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Image: Air Force Lt. Col. Angela Hudson is the new chief of the Air Force Blood Program Division, Air Force Medical Operations Agency in San Antonio, Texas.
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Top 12 of '12
 Another year has come and gone. For the Armed Services Blood Program, 2012 was a year to remember. We said farewell and welcomed new staff members, expanded our social media outlets and most importantly, saved numerous lives with the help of our donors, volunteers, staff and supporters. Before moving on to 2013, we thought it would be nice to reflect on some of the amazing events that took place.
Check out the complete list on the ASBP website.
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No Uniform Required
The ASBP Focal Point civilian hero of the month
Vern Fowler is a regular whole blood donor to the Armed Services Blood Program, but he decided to donate platelets this time during his office's blood drive. As he began the platelet donation process, he said that everything seemed the same as whole blood donation. That is, until the staff at the Pentagon Blood Donor Center turned on the donation chair's heating pad and a movie for him to watch as he donated.
"I can get used to this," said a smiling Fowler.
After his donation was complete, Fowler said he will consider alternating between whole blood and platelet donations in the future -- whichever is needed most at the time.
Read the entire article on the ASBP website.
Image: Vern Fowler donates platelets to the Armed Services Blood Program for the first time.
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Picture This!
The ASBP Focal Point picture of the month
 A West Point cadet salutes the Armed Services Blood Program's mascot during the annual West Point blood drive.
During the annual West Point blood drive, Army, Navy, and Air Force members along with civilian employees from 12 different blood donor centers converge for the four-day drive. This year, more than 1,600 donors in the West Point community rolled up their sleeves to donate, including cadets, faculty and staff from the academy and military installation.
Read the entire article on the ASBP website.
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Checkin' in with the:
Robertson Blood Center, Fort Hood, Texas
The Robertson Blood Center at Fort Hood, Texas recently completed its annual inspection and successfully received accreditation from the AABB.
To receive accreditation, the staff were inspected on blood collection, processing, testing and shipment processes that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the AABB. The inspections are to ensure that the staff are following the correct procedures and that the blood products the blood donor center provides are safe for transfusions. Everything is closely inspected from how the forms are filled out by donors and staff, to the labels that are put on collected units.
On the surface, donating blood may seem like a simple process. Monitoring, training and self-checks are not only very involved, but they are also detail-oriented processes that provides the safest blood products for our service members, dependents and veterans worldwide.
Four auditors from the AABB traveled to Fort Hood Dec. 6 and 7 to observe, improve and correct all parts of the donation process. During the two-day stay, the auditors observed as the Robertson Blood Center staff conducted the donation process for whole blood and platelet donations. Immediately following those observations, they followed the paper trail for several units of blood until it left the facility. These auditors make on-the-spot corrections and suggestions as needed to make the process more efficient.
The AABB is a U.S.-based professional standards organization that was founded in 1947. Today, it is an international organization that covers accreditation for blood centers, hospital blood banks, transfusion services and other cellular therapies that are needed for patient care. The AABB works closely with the FDA and provides technical input into the development of blood regulations for the U.S. This results in a standard for U.S. blood centers to ensure the safety and effectiveness of blood products for patients needing life saving transfusions.
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A video from the ASBP 60th Anniversary and National Blood Donor Month Celebration. Held on Jan. 25 at the Defense Health Headquarters in Falls Church, Va., the first-of-its-kind ceremony brought together many of military medicine's leadership, past, present and future.
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