966th FST screens U.S. members for walking blood bank

Photo By Tech. Sgt. April Quintanilla | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Amy Reimer, 966th Forward Surgical Team surgical technician, draws blood of a U.S. service member for screening and blood typing March 23. The 966th FST types all service members' blood at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, prior to sending it to the United States for screening which will allow them to become a viable donor.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GHAZNI, AFGHANISTAN

03.22.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. April Quintanilla 

Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Air Force members of the 966th Forward Surgical Team worked with the Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team’s medics to draw blood from PRT members for typing and screening on Forward Operating Base Ghazni March 22.

The blood typing is done prior to sending the samples to the U.S. for screening to ensure the members’ records are accurate.

“This is a very good program,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Amy Reimer, 966th FST surgical technician. “It’s really nice to see the quick response of troops willing to donate their blood to save a life.”

Once the results are final the members’ name will be placed on a roster of possible blood donors.

“If we didn’t have this program setup and a casualty had massive blood loss they wouldn’t be able to the stop bleeding on their own,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Nathan Ferguson, 966th FST clinical nurse. “This program allows us to give our patients the safest blood possible.”

The screening of all new U.S. military members is mandatory when arriving at their FOB, but volunteering to be a donor for a casualty is optional.

• Date Taken: 03.22.2012
• Date Posted: 03.29.2012 04:20
• Story ID: 85927
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE GHAZNI, AF