ASBP recognizes top donors

Photo By Marcy Sanchez | William Beaumont Army Medical Center’s Deputy Commanding Officer, Col. E. Darrin Cox (far right), and Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Donald George (far left), present a plaque to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division’s Commander, Col. Charles Masaracchia (second from right), and Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Hendrex, in honor of the unit’s blood donations to the Armed Services Blood Program during a recognition ceremony held at the Centennial Banquet and Conference Center, Jan. 28. Second BCT, 1st AD, donated 424 pints of blood - equivalent to 58 gallons of blood - more than any other unit on Fort Bliss.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

02.04.2016

Story by Marcy Sanchez  

William Beaumont Army Medical Center

FORT SMITH, Texas - William Beaumont Army Medical Center’s Armed Services Blood Program honored Fort Bliss units and individual blood donors at a recognition ceremony at the Centennial Banquet and Conference Center, Jan. 28, as part of National Blood Donor Month.

This year’s top three contributors were 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, with 424 pints; 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, with 305 pints and 3rd BCT, 1st AD, with 299 pints.

Fort Bliss is responsible for supplying 15 percent of blood supplies to overseas contingency operations.

“The need for blood is constant. We only have a finite amount of time that blood is good,” said Maj. Elaine Morrison, chief of blood services, WBAMC. “Our primary mission is our overseas contingency operations. Once we meet those requirements, we can focus on the needs of the local community.”

According to the ASBP, blood donations have a shelf life of 42 days, and more than 40 units of blood may be required for a single trauma victim.

“Every single donation we ship overseas is in direct support of the warfighter,” said Morrison.

The ASBP received more than 4,000 pints of blood donations over the past year, conceivably treating over 100 service members suffering traumatic injuries.

The ceremony featured guest speaker Lt. Col. Jason M. Hiles, a combat surgeon and chief of the department of surgery at WBAMC.

“We always think of freedom being paid for with human lives,” said Hiles. “Those human lives, metaphorically, are talked about in blood. [Donations] are so important to humanity.”

Blood isn’t just red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. Blood brings hope to seemingly hopeless situations and brings audacity in desperate times and situations, added Hiles.

Donations also have a direct impact on the local community as units of blood not sent overseas are used for emergency procedures at WBAMC.

“Donations have saved lives, not just in combat but here,” said Col. E. Darrin Cox, deputy commanding officer, WBAMC. “Your donations matter. Everyone who has donated blood has saved a life somewhere along the way.”

• Date Taken: 02.04.2016
• Date Posted: 02.04.2016 17:51
• Story ID: 187950
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US