Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Maj. Michael Stany (left), Task Force Gladiator battalion surgeon from...... read more read more
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Volunteers recently gathered at Forward Operating Base Lightning to participate in a walk-in blood donor program Feb. 9.
“Giving blood is the right thing to do,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Aaron Bonzo, of Salt Lake City.
Medical staff screened donors to determine blood type and acceptability as whole-blood donors. They also use this information to create a database of donors. In an emergency, volunteers will be called to the Troop Medical Clinic to give whole blood to the wounded.
“In a mass casualty situation, we will activate the walking blood bank,” said U.S. Army Maj. Michael Stany, Task Force Gladiator battalion surgeon from Bethesda, Md.
The walking blood bank was initiated at FOB Lighting by Stany, who first learned of the program while attending the Tactical Combat Medical Care Course at San Antonio.
“We are a long way from the Red Cross,” said Stany. “In the States, we give packed red blood cells that have been stripped of their antibodies, but out here we have to give whole blood.”
Unlike packed red blood cells, whole blood recipients must be specifically matched to their donors.
After donor and recipient are matched, the blood goes directly from the bag to the injured, said Stany.
Medics from across FOB Lightning gathered at the TMC to screen donors and to be screened as donors themselves.
“We’ve trained on this before, but this is our first time executing,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Timothy Neuzil of Iowa City, Iowa.
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2011 16:36 |
| Story ID: | 65187 |
| Location: | PAKTYA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 320 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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