Photo By Pfc. Teegan Karlinsey | From left: U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Kieth Beall, noncommissioned officer...... read more read more
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea— A company executive officer saw it on a unit bulletin board. A KATUSA paused while scrolling on Instagram. A command sergeant major learned about it via word of mouth. Each chose to act.
Community members from across Camp Humphreys showed up and rolled up their sleeves to improve military readiness as part of a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command sponsored blood drive, April 29-30.
“Every single time I see a blood drive, I try to donate,” said Anjel Mendez, a military spouse. “Somebody’s going to need it.”
Hosted by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Armed Services Blood Bank Center Okinawa, 95th Medical Detachment-Blood Support, American Red Cross, and the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, the two-day event was described by organizers as both a logistical and strategic exercise.
“We’re not just your typical donor center, we’re supporting the warfighters,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Yessenia Greene, deputy director for ASBBC Okinawa.
The unit is one of two like it worldwide which can collect and test blood in less than two days, significantly increasing efficiency and readiness. The other center is on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Standard blood donation centers must contract out to have the blood it collects tested, which can take a month or longer, according to Greene.
In the past two years, ASBBC Okinawa has expanded their blood drive activities to Yokota Air Base, Yokosuka Naval Base, and Hawaii, to practice mobilizing and to obtain additional blood from diverse populations.
Today’s event added the Republic of Korea to the ever-growing list and was the first time ASBBC Okinawa has returned to Korea since 2004.
“We wanted to bring back that operational flavor,” Greene said.
The units of blood it processes will be shipped out to military treatment facilities and military exercises across the Indo-Pacific region.
ASBBC Okinawa recently sent hundreds of units to support Exercise Balikatan, a three-week, multinational exercise currently being held in the Philippines.
Back at Camp Humphreys, Command Sgt. Maj. James Lowery, 602nd Aviation Support Battalion, was first in line to donate blood as the event kicked off at 9 a.m. in the 3-2 Aviation Regiment’s second-floor conference room. “(I donate) to help out our fellow brothers and sisters in arms,” said Lowery. “You never know when it will be needed.” As HM1 Kieth Beall, noncommissioned officer in charge for ASBBC Okinawa, held a 450 ml unit of blood Lowery just donated – no larger than a small bag of potato chips or a Korean melon – he contrasted its size with its significance.
“As a rule of thumb, one unit saves three lives,” Beall said.
Beall and his staff kept participants moving efficiently through the six elevated blue chairs in the back of the conference room.
First Lt. Sung Jae Kim, executive officer, Charlie Company, 602nd Aviation Support Battalion, snacked on a chocolate bar after his time in the chair.
He recounted an experience at a blood drive in college where a technician vividly conveyed how critical a blood supply can be in a combat zone.
Since then, he said he’s been donating consistently.
“As soon as I saw the flyer, I registered,” Kim said. “I hope there are more at Humphreys so I can donate more often.”
For more information on upcoming blood drives, contact the American Red Cross or visit their Facebook page.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.29.2026 03:34 |
| Story ID: | 563861 |
| Location: | KR |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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