Action line 81102 - blood bank

  • Published
  • By Anonymous
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Complaint: 

After reading the article on Incirlik's blood bank, I'm curious as to why we don't conduct blood drives here? I used to donate at a local blood center whenever I could, and I actually enjoy the idea of helping others out in a big way with such a small act.

Response: 

I applaud your desire to help, but unfortunately conducting a blood drive at Incirlik requires resources which aren't available here. These include personnel trained specifically to collect blood, and validated procedures and equipment to process it.

Instead of allocating limited blood drive resources to each base, the Armed Services Blood Program has consolidated resources to 23 blood donor centers (BDC) in the US, Europe and Asia. Personnel assigned to these BDC's travel throughout their area of responsibility and conduct mobile blood drives; unfortunately, it's not cost effective to routinely send the donor team on a mobile blood drive to Incirlik. However, it is important, and we haven't given up! We continue to engage Landstuhl's BDC Director on the possibilities of getting a mobile blood drive out here, and hope it will happen soon.

Thanks again.