Blood Donor Committee Class/Meeting 15
Mar 08, Macon Conference
Today's Speaker: Erin Hawkins, Armed Services Blood Program, Fort Gordon, GA
Armed Services Blood Program has 2 locations in Georgia.
Kendrick Memorial Blood Center
Eisenhower Army Medical Center
Building 25712
Fort Gordon, GA 30905-5650
706-787-1014 / 1007
Fort Benning Blood Donor Center
Fort Benning, GA
706-544-9427 or 9854
Blood is collected on or off base, processed and packaged and depending on
need rushed to
Afghanistan and Iraq. Blood not needed for the war zone is used on base for
active duty, dependents.
If blood supply runs low on base it has to be purchased from organizations
like Red Cross. In the reverse when a natural disaster hits, blood can be
sold to local hospitals for civilian use. If a VA hospital needs blood they
can get it free from the ASBP if they are close to them. Normally they have
to purchase all blood from organizations like Red Cross. Best use of VA
funds? you decide.
ASBP is limited to where they can collect blood off base, drives can only be
held on federal government property. Any military base, National Guard
Armory, Naval Reserve Center and the like are allowed along with college ROTC
groups. Blood Drives at American Legion Posts are considered civilian and
are not allowed per DOD regulations. Many bases allow civilian to enter with
proper ID and proof of car insurance and Legion members that live close to one
of the bases listed above could donate blood on base for military use. Call
ahead though they might be off base that day doing a blood drive.
Don't forget the Consolidated Report Form for listing all post members blood
donations.
We are planning a blood drive at Department Convention if we can get a room to
do it in at the Convention site. Last year at Dalton convention we did one
and it was a success .
The blood donor program is a great American Legion program. Unlike many
programs that cost money to the local posts this program can be done by posts
rich or poor. A post home is not required, drives can be done almost
anywhere. Partner with a National Guard unit on a drill weekend on or off
base. Partner with any local organization, the object is more donors and more
blood.
Help the military or help your local community, they both need the help of the
American Legion.
Visit our Georgia blood donor page at
www.galegion.org and click on A L programs then click on Blood Donor
program. All district chairmen are listed with contact info along with many
blood donor links.
Don't forget to ask about getting screened and registered for the National
bone marrow registry. We can help there also. How many lives can you help
save????????
Bill Beaudin, Department of Georgia Blood Donor Chairman
