Rolling up sleeves for American Red Cross

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina M. Brisbin
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  McConnell's quarterly blood drive will be held Friday, July 27, 2012, from 8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Robert J. Dole Community Center.

"This drive is especially critical for our base members to donate," said 1st Lt. Waunika Cofresi, 22nd Operations Support Squadron deputy chief of wing intelligence. "[All blood types] are actually at a 'critical low' level. All types are needed."

Cofresi is the current blood program officer for McConnell.

According to the Armed Services Blood Program website, most healthy adults are eligible to give blood, however, there are some reasons a person may be deferred from.

The criteria each potential donor must possess is very specific and detailed. Each potential donor is asked a list of questions by Red Cross workers to determine a persons' eligibility.

There are several aspects that may cause ineligibility, ranging from weight restrictions, recent tattoos and from deployments and travel abroad. The guidelines for donation can be found at www.militaryblood.dod.mil/donors/can_i_donate.aspx.

Currently, the ASBP operates 22 blood donor centers and 81 transfusion centers in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Through the ASBP, blood is collected for contingency operations but is also responsible for supplying medical treatment facilities with blood products for daily operations, according to the Armed Services Blood Program website.

"On average we usually collect between 100 to 120 pints of blood," said 1st Lt. Cesar Hernandez, 22nd Maintenance Squadron maintenance flight commander, "Every unit of blood we collect here provides blood credits for the DoD, those credits can be used when we have a need for blood."

Hernandez will assist Cofresi with coordination of this quarter's blood drive.

For every pint the Red Cross collects from base blood drives, they give the DoD a dollar amount credit. The DoD can then buy blood from the Red Cross, utilizing the credit.

Donating blood and donating time to assist the Armed Forces Blood Program enables the Air Force to provide urgent care during natural disasters and accident response efforts. The donated blood is used directly to support DoD military families, for both peacetime and wartime use, said Cofresi.

All walk-ins are welcome, but the Red Cross tries to keep an even spread for potential donors by having appointment times available.

To make an appointment to donate, visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.