FORT CARSON — Fort Carson and the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) will soon be hosting a blood drive to support troops overseas.
The drive is scheduled for Aug. 19 - 21st, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the William "Bill" Reed Special Events Center.
The Mountain Post said service members, family members, and DoD civilians are the backbone of the ASBP and they are strongly encouraged to donate.
ASBP is the official military blood program and is a tri-service organization comprised of donor centers from the Army, Air Force, and Navy. Fort Carson said the program's first priority is to provide blood for wounded warriors in overseas operations. All donations directly support military service members and their families worldwide. This includes military hospitals, combat support hospitals, and medics on the front line, according to Fort Carson.
This program is the sole provider of blood to Iraq, Afghanistan, and any location where there are contingency operations, a release from Fort Carson said. All the blood that is collected gets delivered to these areas within four days of collection.
According to Fort Carson, most healthy individuals can donate to the ASBP, but there are some factors that may disqualify a person from donating. In general, donors must weigh at least 116 pounds, be at least 17-years-old, have a valid form of identification, have not been ill for at least three days prior, be well hydrated, and have eaten something prior to donating.
Those who are interested in donating or would like to learn more about the program can find more information here.
For more information on the blood drive, call the Fort Carson Public Affairs Office at (719) 526 - 7525.
