ASBP saves lives and you can too! Published Sept. 6, 2016 By Bill Hancock 88th Air Base Wing, Public Affairs WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- One wounded service member can use as many as 40 units of blood whether injured on the battlefield or recovering in an operating room. Of the 37 percent of Americans able to regularly donate blood, less than 10 percent routinely do so, and their blood can only be stored for 42 days. These numbers graphically illustrate the on-going necessity to ensure our military personnel have an ample and safe supply of blood when they need it most. The Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) is the official military blood program of the Department of Defense. Here the program is constantly in search of new blood donors, according to Jon LaDue, ASBP public affairs specialist. “We, the Wright-Patt population, are expected to donate about 2,300 units of blood annually,” said LaDue. “A unit is typically one pint of blood, and despite the fact we have more than 20,000 military, civilian and contractor employees, we often struggle to meet this demand.” The ASBP has 22 centers worldwide. Wright-Patt is one of three located on Air Force bases with the other two operating at Lackland AFB, Texas, and Keesler AFB, Mississippi. The other Air Force locations, however, have many more eligible young donors who have not, as yet, been exposed to factors that defer blood donation. “Our population here at Wright-Patt is, generally speaking, older and has traveled more than the young Airmen going through training in Texas,” said LaDue. “That means there is a lot of experience across the base but it can be a challenge when finding eligible blood donors.” Eligibility requirements for donating blood, as established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are the same for donating with the ASBP as they are for donating to the American Red Cross. Many different factors can prevent a potential donor from donating blood. Some common causes include: travel outside the United States (potential exposure to diseases like Malaria, Ebola, and ZIKA), medical conditions (certain medications, vaccinations and surgeries), and general health (under-weight or currently ill), lifestyle and life events (that pose a higher risk for obtaining or transmitting sexually transmitted diseases). These causes and more, can defer potential blood donors. Having one, or more, of these conditions may temporarily, or even permanently, restrict donation. “The typical healthy person, who meets donation eligibility criteria, can donate blood every 56 days,” said LaDue. “Many people cannot donate, however, so those eligible are critically needed to step up, be a good Wingman and donate. It takes between 30 to 60 minutes to donate blood. A pint of blood can save up to three lives but not all blood is alike. Type-O blood, which better than 45% of the U.S. population has, is universal which means it does not contain antigens and will not cause a patient's immune system to attack the transfused blood. As such, O-type blood is considered safe to transfuse to wounded troops or traumatic patients in desperate need. “We are very interested in new, recurring Type-O blood donors,” said LaDue. “We usually conduct two-to-four blood drives on Wright-Patt each week but we also take walk-in donations, from those eligible with access to the Wright-Patt Medical Center. I’d encourage military supervisors to find a time for their interested Airmen to donate.” Air Force regulations allot up to four hours to civilian employees to donate to ASBP, at their supervisor’s discretion. The Wright-Patt Blood Donor Center is located on the second floor of the clinic side of the Wright-Patt Medical Center. Hours are: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment to donate call: 937-257-0580 or visit militaryblood.dod.mil Donating to the ASBP may shorten an employee’s day, but, it unquestionably can contribute to lengthen the life of a fellow airman. “From cancer patients to battlefield injuries, military members depend on the blood supply to be there when they need it,” said LaDue.