Base hosting August blood drive to support deployed forces

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE — Base employees who would like to support a good cause are invited to an upcoming event on Robins Air Force Base. The Armed Services Blood Program will be making a stop in August for a blood drive, providing Airmen another way to serve their country.

Interested donors must be free of cold or flu symptoms in the last three days, weigh more than 116 pounds, and not have had a new tattoo in the previous three months. 

“We’d like people to eat and be well hydrated before they come to donate. Most people are eligible to donate as long as they feel well and healthy,” Erin Longacre, a blood donor recruiter for the Armed Services Blood Center, said.

Longacre said the donation process is relatively quick. Donors will first be screened for recent travel and tattoos, followed by vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature. 

Screeners will also take a small blood sample to check for iron levels. If everything checks out, the donation takes about five minutes. Then, the donor will wait for another 15 minutes to ensure they feel well.

“It can be intimidating the first time if you don’t know what to expect, but it’s a very short process and our staff are well trained and very compassionate,” Longacre said.

The ASBP is aiming to collect 175 units of blood. Summertime sees a slowdown, but the need for blood never takes a vacation, Longacre mentioned.

“We need to be prepared, to make sure that our patients back home have blood if they need it, for accidents, or surgeries, or cancer treatments or sickle cell treatments. It’s also important that we’re taking care of our troops deployed in harms way,” Longacre said.

Comprised of around 20 Army, Air Force, and Navy-led centers, the ASBP is responsible for ensuring blood is readily available for military operations. Donations are sent to deployed forces, special operations teams and military hospitals, and are key for medical treatments and emergency response.

“It’s definitely a selfless act, something that you can do that costs you very little time and effort, but can make the biggest difference to someone else and allowing them to see their family again,” Longacre said.

The ASBP has been visiting the base since 2005 and strives to hold a blood drive approximately every two months. The program has seen excellent, faithful donors from Robins, as Longacre described.

“We’ve had people who’ve been donating the whole 20 years we’ve been coming. There’s a lot of really great and selfless people there, so we look forward to seeing everybody,” Longacre said.

A complete list of eligibility criteria and more information about the ASBP can be found here.

Walk-ins and appointments are welcome. Interested donors can reserve a time here.

The blood drive will take place Aug. 14 and Aug. 15, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., located at the Fitness Annex, 301 Milledgeville Street, Robins Air Force Base.