Keesler team drawn to Academy blood drive

Published Oct. 26, 2011
By Keesler Blood Doner Center

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- A 10-person team from the Keesler Blood Donor Center recently participated in a five-day tri-service blood drive at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs that resulted in the collection of more than 1,100 units of blood.

The annual joint blood drive, conducted under the auspices of the Armed Services Blood Program, included both active-duty and civilian Air Force, Army and Navy laboratory technicians from seven military installations. Keesler provided the sole Air Force contingent among the 66 medical laboratory technicians involved.

Capt. Heidi McMinn, officer in charge from the Keesler center, said the "Dragon Medics" -- half of the center's assigned staff -- attended pre-drive briefings where they received their assignments and logistical information about the drive's set-up. The next day, the team completed training for their respective station assignments, including phlebotomy (the blood-drawing procedure), registering donors and blood processing.

"The first day of the actual drive, about 250 units were collected," said Tech. Sgt. Debra Hafner, donor center NCO in charge. "We collected 300 units the next day and about 600 the third."

While it's difficult to say exactly how many cadets attempted to donate, McMinn estimates at least 2,000.

"Many may have been turned away for various reasons, such as foreign travel or medical history," she said.

Hafner said most of the units collected will be used to meet overseas operational quota requirements.

"The blood will be used to treat both military members and civilians wounded in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as conflicts in the Horn of Africa -- basically any contingencies for which they're needed. Any units not required overseas will be used in stateside military and Veterans Affairs hospitals."
McMinn said another tri-service drive is slated for January at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

In addition to McMinn and Hafner, the Keesler team consisted of Master Sgt. Traci Devereaux, Staff Sgts. Zachary Derringer and Travis Gray, Senior Airman Thomas O'Neal, Airman 1st Class Michael Brown and civilians Larry Bank, Robert Moody, Kevin Nguyen and Stacey Baird.

In addition to Keesler, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Fort Hood and Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Gordon, Ga.; Fort Bragg, N.C.; and the Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory (Navy), McGuire AFB, N.J., provided personnel and logistical support.