TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — Sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel aboard the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) Twentynine Palms came together May 6, 2026, to support a record-breaking Armed Services Blood Program blood drive that collected more units than any previous single-event drive held at the installation, directly supporting military operations overseas and reinforcing the installation’s culture of readiness and service.
The blood drive, organized through a partnership between Armed Services Blood Program, Naval Medical Center San Diego, Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms and multiple tenant commands at MCAGCC, registered 156 donors and resulted in 117 successful blood collections, surpassing the installation’s previous record of 112 units collected during a 2018 drive.
According to Hospital Corpsman 1st Class April Million, leading petty officer for the Adult Medical Care Clinic at Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, the event was driven by an urgent operational need as military blood collection requirements continue to increase.
“Due to ongoing military operations, Naval Medical Center San Diego’s blood collection quota has more than tripled,” said Million. “So they were proactive in reaching out to surrounding units for support to ensure forward-deployed personnel have the lifesaving blood products they need.”
Million worked directly with the Armed Services Blood Program and installation partners to coordinate logistics, recruit donors and spread awareness across the base leading up to the event.
“I believe the support we had from leadership across the installation made a significant difference,” said Million. “They helped communicate the ‘why’ behind the mission and explain the lifesaving impact every donor could make by taking the time to give blood.”
The blood collected during the drive will support operations within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, where demand for blood products has increased.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Reece Curry, a medical laboratory technician assigned to Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms who was on temporary additional duty supporting Naval Medical Center San Diego’s Blood Donor Center, said the blood drive represented a large-scale collaborative effort between Navy Medicine and the combat center community.
“We go where the donors are,” said Curry. “The Armed Services Blood Program’s mission and MCAGCC contributions directly align with efforts to modernize maritime blood sustainment and build surge capacity for the warfighter.”
Curry explained that the mobile blood collection team departed at approximately 3 a.m. with multiple government vehicles carrying personnel, medical equipment and blood storage assets needed to conduct the drive at the combat center. Throughout the event, he rotated through multiple operational stations including registration, vital signs screening, phlebotomy and blood storage support.
“The results were much better than expected,” said Curry. “We anticipated around 120 potential donors, but instead received more than 150. Normally, donor deferrals and complications can reduce final collection numbers significantly, so breaking the installation record was a huge achievement.”
Curry credited the success of the event to extensive coordination between commands and the strong engagement of leadership across the installation.
“The success of the blood drive should be attributed to the superior engagement of MCAGCC and Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms leadership, as well as the generosity of our volunteer donors,” said Curry. “Without their help, many donors might not have even known the drive was happening.”
Leadership involvement extended well beyond the hospital.
Sgt. Maj. Trevor Jennings, command senior enlisted leader for the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School at MCAGCC, worked closely with subordinate units and installation leaders to encourage participation and help coordinate transportation for Marines traveling to the donation site.
“The leadership involved did a very good job promoting the event,” said Jennings. “Prior planning ensured transportation was available to help Marines donate. We as Marines will always face a challenge head-on, and I absolutely believe this record can be broken again in the future. In fact—consider that challenge accepted.”
Jennings said the blood drive reflected the unique culture of teamwork and selfless service shared throughout the installation community.
“At MCAGCC, there is a sense of selfless service shared by everyone aboard this installation,” said Jennings. “You cannot live and work on this base without wanting to come together when others are in need. That trait is part of our warfighting spirit.”
Million said the drive demonstrated how collaboration between Navy Medicine and Marine Corps units can directly contribute to operational readiness far beyond Twentynine Palms.
“Each person who donated contributed to something much larger than themselves,” said Million. “Every unit collected has the potential to save lives and support deployed service members operating in demanding environments around the world.”
For Curry, the blood drive also highlighted the importance of preparation, communication and teamwork in executing large-scale readiness missions.
“Preparation, communication and cooperation are everything,” said Curry. “When you are operating mobile blood drives, what you bring with you is all you have. Everyone involved has to understand the mission, know their role and work together to make the operation successful.”
The record-setting event highlighted the collaboration between Navy Medicine, the Marine Corps community, and the Defense Health Agency in support of warfighter readiness and global military operations.