DoD Programs Encourage Life-Saving Donations

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The military community is known for making sacrifices and giving its all. Along with serving America and protecting lives, many service members also donate life to others by giving blood or bone marrow. Both are vitally important in operating rooms at home and around the world.

The easiest way to give someone the gift of life during April’s Donate Life Month is by giving blood. The Armed Services Blood Program operates 22 blood donor centers in the United States and abroad, collecting blood and platelets used by more than a million service members and their families. To find the closest Armed Services Blood Program donor center and make an appointment to donate go to www.militaryblood.dod.mil.

It can take as little as ten minutes to collect one pint of blood, and blood donations can be made up to six times a year. Most adults in good health can donate blood, but there are restrictions for certain medical conditions, tattoos or overseas travel.

Those unable to donate blood may still be able to serve as a bone marrow donor. Visit www.dodmarrow.org for more information about the Department of Defense (DoD) Blood Marrow Donation Program and information on how to get on the National Marrow Donor Program registry.

Bone marrow is used to treat many diseases including leukemia, lymphoma and genetic disorders. Donating marrow is not as painful as it may sound, and getting on the bone marrow registry is quick and easy.

Potential bone marrow donors provide a swab of cells from inside their cheek or a small blood sample. Active duty service members, their family members, DoD civilians and National Guard or Reserve personnel in good health under the age of 60 can register. This registration also places them in the National Marrow Donor Program registry. Once a need is determined and a match is found on the registry, the potential donor still has the choice to donate or not.

The DoD Marrow Donor program provides the donor transportation to, and lodging where the donation is taking place, along with support and education on the donation process. By law, federal employees are allowed up to seven days of paid leave for bone marrow donation. Command approval is required for active duty service members.