Health

Blood donors needed at mission essential blood drives

by Stacy Sanning
Armed Services Blood Program - Europe
July 30, 2021

 

Bruce Holt donates blood with the help of Spc. Victoria Kirkpatrick, 68W, Healthcare Specialist for the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Europe, during a blood drive in Wiesbaden, Germany, Nov. 20, 2018. — Photo by U.S. Army

As summer travel and PCS season picks up, we need your help more than ever to save lives within the military. Our thanks to everyone who has already signed up to give blood and spread the word! Give blood, save lives, get free snacks and gifts: Military, Civilians*, Retirees, Family Members and Local National* staff can donate blood thanks to relaxed donor eligibility rules below.

*Civilians and Local Nationals are authorized (with supervisor approval) to take Admin Leave to donate blood!

Aug. 23 @ Vogelweh Community Center

Aug. 24 @ Kleber Kitness Center

Aug. 30-31 @ Ramstein Officer’s Club

9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., by appointment ONLY

Schedule appointments at: www.militarydonor.com/index.cfm?group=op&hgid=4
or scan the QR code in the ad on the next page with a smartphone camera.

Remember, all the blood donated to the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) stays within the military, for U.S and NATO forward-deployed as well as patients at military hospitals throughout the world. Your blood donation is Mission Essential!

Newly relaxed eligibility rules, spread the word that many more people are now able to give blood. The wait after tattoos and travel went down and there are no longer ANY restrictions for time spent in most European countries:

  • 18 or older, weigh at least 116 pounds, free of cold/flu symptoms for three days.
  • In the past 14 days, haven’t had COVID-19 symptoms, come into close and extended contact with someone who has.
  • In the past 14 days, haven’t traveled somewhere that required you to quarantine.
  • In the past 8 weeks, haven’t donated whole blood.
  • In the past 3 months, haven’t had a tattoo overseas or in a U.S. state that does not regulate tattoo facilities.
  • In the past 3 months, haven’t visited a malaria-risk country for more than 24 hours.
  • Didn’t live in the UK 3 months or more 1980-1996.
  • Didn’t live 5 years or more in France or Ireland 1980-2001

*NOTE about vaccines: there is no wait time to donate blood after receiving the flu vaccine, or the COVID vaccines by Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson. Other COVID vaccines may require a wait time. Please be prepared to tell blood drive staff which vaccine you received.

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