From the Desk Of:
Navy Capt. Roland Fahie, Director, ASBPO
 Greetings! Welcome to this issue of Focal Point. First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers to go out to the friends, family and colleagues of retired Army Lt. Col. Robert "Bob" Ursy who passed away this month. He was a distinguished member of the Armed Services Blood Program, and he will be greatly missed by us all. This month, we celebrate National Blood Donor Month and thank the many donors who "made the connection" last year. Without the unwavering support we receive from our volunteer donors, we would not be able to save lives of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and their families worldwide. I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for your dedication to the military blood program. In this issue, we take a closer look at the 2016 West Point blood drive, reflect on 2015, see how one officer is helping us collect platelets and check in with our joint blood program officer for the U.S. Pacific Command. 2015 was a great year for the ASBP. We broke ground on new installations, saw advancements in technology, collected thousands of units of blood and saved thousands of lives both overseas and here at home. To all of our donors, volunteers, supporters and staff members: keep up the great work! Let's work together on our quest to make 2016 the best year yet. You are the Armed Services Blood Program! Respectfully, Capt. Roland Fahie |
|
 |
|
Military Blood Program Remembers Retired Army Lt. Col. Robert "Bob" Ursy
 Retired Army Lt. Col. Robert "Bob" Ursy passed away Jan. 7 in in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Bob was a military laboratory officer and later a military blood banker who graduated in 1973 from the first military blood bank fellowship class associated with Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Among many of Bob's assignments were tours in Vietnam and Berlin, Germany. He finished his military career in the prestigious position as laboratory/blood bank consultant for the U.S. Army Health Services Command. Among his many contributions to the laboratory and blood bank fields was his pioneering work with the electron microscope and platelets.
Bob is survived by his wife of 55 years, Billie White Usry, his daughter, Sherry Usry Brooks, and a son Michael Usry. He has grandchildren and a host of other family members and friends. Bob was a charter member of the ASBP Retiree Association and his many military blood program colleagues will miss him. Lt. Col. Robert Usry was a true officer and gentleman.
|
|
|
|
Thank You For Making the Connection: ASBP Celebrates National Blood Donor Month
 This January, the ASBP celebrates National Blood Donor Month to thank donors for "making the connection," and saving lives. Learn more.
|
|
|
West Point Cadets Donate 1,830 Units of Blood for Service Members Worldwide
In one of the ASBP's largest blood drives every year, cadets and cadre from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point rolled up their sleeves to support the military blood program Jan. 11-14. Read more.
|
|
|
Year in Review: Memorable Moments of 2015 (Part I)
 Take a look back at some of the memorable moments of 2015. Part I of this series focuses on notable blood drives, travel adventures of the team and the ASBP's humanitarian efforts. Read more. |
|
No Uniform Required
The ASBP Focal Point civilian hero of the month
 Along with new facilities and new technologies, Part II of the Year in Review series also featured some of the ASBP's most avid volunteer donors, many of whom were dedicated civilians. Read more. |
|
Picture This!
The ASBP Focal Point picture of the month
Brig. Gen. Anne Sailliol (left), head of Transfusion Services for the French Joint Military Health Services, accepts a certificate of appreciation from Navy Capt. Roland Fahie (right), ASBP director, during her visit to the Defense Health Headquarters in Falls Church, Va., Dec. 30, 2015. See more photos. |
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Al Whitney and 'Ted E. Bear' Spread Joy and Save Lives
White blood cells, also called leukocytes, protect the body from infection. According to the American Society of Hematology, they are much fewer in number than red blood cells and account for approximately 1 percent of a person's blood. There are several types of white blood cells, but the most common type is called a neutrophil. These cells are responsible for the body's "immediate response" to an infection or disease, but they live for only one day in a person's bone marrow. Granulocytes, another type of white blood cell, are used in more specialized transfusion therapy. They are collected through apheresis, but have a short shelf life. For this reason, when a patient requires a white blood cell transfusion - often times, the patient's last resort treatment - a donation must be collected, tested and transfused within 24 hours of collection. Al Whitney has been a blood donor since 1965. After running blood drives and donating for more than 30 years, Whitney began his "Platelets Across America" journey in 2007 - a mission to donate platelets in every state. In less than five years, he had completed his quest and donated in every state and three countries. In January, he stopped by the Armed Services Blood Program Office at the Defense Health Headquarters in Falls Church, Va., to share his story and the story of his special companion named "Ted E. Bear." Read more. |
|
|
Checkin' in with the:
Joint blood program officer, U.S. Pacific Command
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Frederick Matheu, PACOM joint blood program officer, traveled to San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 1-4, to present at the 2015 AMSUS Annual Meeting. While there, he discussed the Blood Safety Assessment Tool he created for new countries interested participating in the U.S. PACOM Blood Safety Program. Read more.
|
|
|
Command Master Chief Issues Platelet Donation Challenge, Rolls Up Sleeve at Walter Reed
Dec. 18 was a day that started like all others; until Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Command Master Chief Tyrone Willis decided to shake things up bit. In support of the ASBP, Willis decided to issue a platelet donation challenge at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center in Bethesda, Md. His main goal: to help the ASBP save lives. Read more.
|
|
|
Industry News
Age of Red Blood Cells Does Not Affect Lactic Acidosis
Although a recent meta-analysis of randomized trials has reported no difference in adverse events based on the age of the red blood cells transfused, the effect that age of RBCs play in oxygen delivery has not been examined. Learn more.
|
|
|
Featured Media
The ASBP has been the sole provider of blood and blood products for military members, their families and veterans since the Korean War. Cpl. Aria Herrera has more on this program and why January is important to them. (Video by Cpl. Aria Herrera, Defense Media Activity-Marines)
|
|
Pins and Pints
The ASBP Focal Point pin of the month
Because this is the way to start the year. Silly little puppy face. May your 2016 be fun and lifesaving!
Find photos, recipes, articles, videos and more on Pinterest.
|
|
|
|
|
