By U.S. Army 2nd Lt. McKinsey Hulen
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – On June 19, 60 soldiers from 701st Brigade Support Battalion, known as the “Diligent” Battalion, showed up to Forward Operating Base Sharana’s medical treatment facility ready to donate blood to an Afghan man and child who were wounded by an improvised explosive device.
Only minutes after the doctors announced that blood was needed, soldiers were streaming in through the doors of Charlie Medical Company to be pre-screened for donation. In the end, twelve units of blood were drawn.
The next day, “Charlie Med” initiated a second emergency blood bank for a wounded Afghan Uniformed Police officer. Another 60 donors rose to the call, to include civilians and contractors who work on the base. On that night, 10 units of blood were drawn and it took only 29 minutes from the time the emergency blood bank announcement was made to start transfusing the first batch to the patient.
All of the patients that received blood were treated by doctors from the 1980th Forward Surgical Team, who are co-located with Charlie Medical Company.
“It was record setting,” said Charlie Company Executive Officer 1st Lt. Suzanna Endsley. “I know the forward surgical team is ecstatic to see that the soldiers are so motivated to help save the lives of anyone that come through their doors.”
She also said that the hard work and ingenuity of Charlie Company soldiers contributed to the success.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2012 08:06 |
| Story ID: | 90973 |
| Location: | PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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