News from the Armed Services Blood Program

Issue No. 86 | Aug. 31, 2015

From the Desk Of:
Navy Capt. Roland Fahie, Director, ASBPO

Greetings! Welcome to the August edition of Focal Point. In this issue, you can read up on our freeze-dried plasma initiative. Plasma is often the unsung hero in the blood banking world; however, this blood product will help us save lives of injured service members on battlefields worldwide.

Also in this issue, it is my pleasure to introduce Army Lt. Col. Carmen Bell and officially welcome her to the Armed Services Blood Program team. She has more than 20 years of military experience, and is already well on her way to leaving a lasting impact on the way we collect, test, distribute and transfuse blood.

With the summer months winding down, I am proud to report that we have continued to meet all blood and blood product needs. My thanks to our donors, volunteers and supporters. Because of you, the Armed Services Blood Program has been able to provide blood and blood products to ill or injured service members, veterans and their families worldwide -- without interruption.

Let's keep up the great work!

You are the Armed Services Blood Program!

Respectfully,
Capt. Roland Fahie

Plasma Force: Freeze-dried Plasma Effort Seeks to Improve Battlefield Survival Rates

Join an elite group of donors bringing plasma to the frontlines.

The Army Blood Program is currently involved in an initiative to collect licensed fresh plasma from volunteer donors. The donations will be converted into freeze-dried plasma, a new product that may significantly increase the survival rates for service members wounded on the battlefield. Learn more.

New ASBP Deputy Director of Operations Ready to Make a Difference

The Armed Services Blood Program welcomes Army Lt. Col. Carmen Alesia Bell as the new deputy director of operations.

Army Lt. Col. Carmen Alesia Bell, who has more than 20 years of military experience under her belt, is the new deputy director of operations for the military blood program. Read more.

No Uniform Required
The ASBP Focal Point civilian hero of the month

Lauren Gibson Etter (left) donated blood at a mobile blood drive on Fort Meade, Md. July 9 to support her boyfriend, Seaman Recruit Jacob L. Greenberg (right) who is in boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill. Greenberg also donated blood with the ASBP in July.

Two families recently donated with the ASBP at three donation locations across the nation. These family members would soon make their way to the Midwest to see recruits graduate from boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill.; but first, they stopped on opposite coasts to donate blood. Read more of their story.

Picture This!
The ASBP Focal Point picture of the month

Navy Capt. Rick Freedman, commanding officer at the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, donated platelets to the Armed Services Blood Program July 24.

Jack into the Blood Grid, Infuse Life: Donors all over the country are donating blood for service members, veterans and their families worldwide. In this photo, Navy Capt. Rick Freedman, commanding officer of the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, donated platelets to the ASBP July 24. See more photos.

Checkin' in with the:
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Blood Donor Center, Portsmouth, Va.

Last month, Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) conducted blood drives in support of the ASBP at Huntington Hall in Newport News, Va. Learn more.

Industry News

Simulation Studies Reveal the Role Disulfide Bonds Play in Protein Folding

Diseases like mad cow disease are a result of protein mis-folding. According to the Anfinsen Principle, the chemical character of the amino acid chain dictates how the protein folds into its three-dimensional structure. A key component to this folding is the formation of disulfide linkages. Learn more.

Featured Media

Last month, Fort Carson, Colo., hosted an ASBP blood drive. A blood collection team traveled from Fort Bliss, Texas, with a goal of collecting 300 units of blood for ill or injured service members, veterans and their families worldwide. See some of the local media coverage.

Pins and Pints
The ASBP Focal Point pin of the month

"And they used to only give us water and a bone after donating. None of this fancy juice and cookies stuff..."

Find photos, recipes, articles, videos and more on Pinterest.

Donors. Jack into the Blood Grid. Infuse Life.

About the ASBP

The ASBP plays a key role in providing quality blood products for service members, veterans and their families in both peace and war. As a tri-service organization, the ASBP has many components working together to collect, process and store, distribute and transfuse blood worldwide. Learn more on the ASBP website.

Armed Services Blood Program Office
7700 Arlington Blvd., Ste 5143 | Falls Church, VA 22042-5143
Commercial Phone: (703) 681-5979 | Fax: (703) 681-7541 | DSN: 761-5979