Type O Blood Donors Badly Needed

American Forces Press Service ^ | Aug. 6, 2003 | Special to American Forces Press Service

[Tony Niar Brain]

Duplicate... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/959393/posts

[lilylangtree]

Forwarded your post to a relative who donates blood and has "O" blood type.

[Dubya]

Thanks. I did a by title search and it didn't show up. I'm glad Cowgirl put it on here sooner.

[Dog Gone]

military blood donor centers can only collect blood from active duty service members, government employees, retirees and military family members.

That seems like a pretty dumb restriction.

[SamKeck]

I donated a unit of Type O (pos) yesterday and designated that it go to the regional Naval Hospital. It didn't hurt at all; took less than 45 minutes start to finish to do it; got fed a great snack afterwards; and, on my way out the door, they gave me a patriotic themed t-shirt as a bonus.

[Dubya]

Thanks for caring.

[Dubya]

Yes it does seem kind of dumb.

[Bluegrass Federalist]

I'm O-neg. Does the military collect separately from the normal Blood Center? Where would I start looking for a donation center?

[Dubya]

Thanks for the info. I need a new T Shirt. I give O blood at Carter Blood Center in Ft. Worth.

Good for you for caring enough to give blood.

[Bluegrass Federalist]

I hit that link. The closest centers are hours away. Can I designate at the local blood center?

[warchild9]

I donate O Negative regularly. Someone told me that it's used mostly for infants, which I think is pretty cool. I had no idea we could designate where our blood goes to.

[Dubya]

I can give at Carter Blood Center in Ft. Worth and they claim to send it to them.

[Churchillspirit]

I have been a blood donor for thirty five years (O-neg), but my blood is not acceptable now because I lived in the UK till 1983.

Is this carrying caution too far?

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

How's about former Nat'l Guard types? I'm B- which is always hard to come by.

[Dubya]

Sometimes when a friend or someone in need of blood ask for it, I donate (designate) it to them. If they don't hsve insurance to cover the cost they get a little credit for what people give them. We give blood at our Church and Lodge.

[Dubya]

It sure seems to me like it is.

[Dubya]

Someone would like to have your donated blood I'm sure.

[nightdriver]

"Since frozen blood can be safely stored for up to 10 years, it ensures that blood is always readily available to meet the military's needs worldwide."

TEN YEARS??

This makes me all the more angry at the Red Cross destroying all that blood donated right after 9/11 just because they couldn't use it immediately.

What am I missing?

[Dubya]

Me too. I don't believe I'll ever forget the RED CROSS doing that.