Photo By Jonathan Davis | Air Force Veteran Daniel Ashline is able to donate blood with the ASBP again after the...... read more read more
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Daniel Ashline, a native of Wisconsin, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1981 and enjoyed a 20-year-long career in the Service. He first donated blood during basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and went on to donate numerous times over the years, attending most drives at the base while he was stationed there. Ashline served in locations all over the world and, now as a civilian, works with the 16th Air Force as the Cyber Requirements Manager.
One major reason he felt motivated to keep on giving all those years was the love he has for his wife. “Before we met, someone saved my wife’s life by donating blood,” Ashline stated, “so it makes me feel honored to pay it forward."
After working across Europe, Ashline discovered that he was no longer able to donate blood due to an FDA update in the vCJD (Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) guidelines in 2000. He felt disappointed when he first learned he was ineligible to donate, and he didn’t believe he would ever be able to again. One particularly stinging memory he has is of 9/11, during which "it became so clear to [him], the need for blood, and frustrating because [he] could not donate."
vCJD restrictions were updated in the summer of 2020, and many people in situations like Ashline's are now eligible to donate once again.
Upon being informed by the Armed Services Blood Bank Center – San Antonio (ASBBC-SA), Texas, that many of the restrictions had been removed, Ashline was "very pleased to learn that [he] was again eligible to donate. [He] scheduled an appointment to donate within a couple of weeks."
“Strong supporters like Ashline are the heart of the ASBP,” remarked ASBP Division Chief, Navy Capt. Les Riggs. “His desire to donate again after being deferred for so long shows his clear understanding of how important blood donations are. We’re excited he’s able to join us in saving the lives of our warfighters and their families in need.”
Since becoming eligible again to donate, Ashline has been a committed donor and has given regularly (every 8 weeks), hitting the 1-gallon donation mark in early 2022.
“Mr. Ashline called...and inquired about donating with the change in qualifications. He was very excited to be welcomed back to donating blood and I was happy to help,” said Tracy Parmer, ASBP blood donor recruiter, ASBBC-SA. “He has been a regular lifesaving donor ever since. I would like to thank him for helping save the lives of people he will never meet. We need more people like Dan.”
Ashline's consistency with donating blood and saving lives is commendable. He implores those who are considering donating blood with the ASBP to do so, stating that "it doesn’t take very long and you never know who you might be helping with your donation; it could be a stranger, a friend or a loved one."
Even though he was restricted for many years from donating, Ashline still ‘kept on’ hoping he would be able to again in his lifetime. He is now able to ‘keep on’ giving and saving lives, paying it forward over and over for the donations that helped his wife many years ago and for those who need it now.
Keep on, Dan!
About the Armed Services Blood Program
Since 1962, the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) is the official blood program of the United States military. Our mission is to provide quality blood products and support to military health care operations worldwide; from the battlefield to the local hospital, whenever and wherever needed. The ASBP collects, processes, stores, transports, and distributes blood products to service members, their families, retirees and veterans in peace and war. In an ASBP Enterprise view – Military Health Affairs, Defense Health Agency, Service Blood Programs and Combatant Commands – we operate under common goals, metrics, procedures, and work together to shape the future.
The ASBP is one of four organizations tasked with providing a safe blood supply to the nation. Our program also works closely with our civilian counterparts in times of need to maximize the availability of this national treasure.
To find out more about the ASBP or schedule an appointment to donate, please visit www.militaryblood.dod.mil. To interact directly with ASBP staff members or get the latest news, follow us @militaryblood on Facebook, Twitter and @usmilitaryblood on Instagram.
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.03.2022 06:50 |
| Story ID: | 426181 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 124 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, For Her and Others: Blood Donor’s Reason for Living, Giving and Saving Lives, by Jonathan Davis, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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