Saving lives from Day 1

By Mr. Perry Jefferies (Army Medicine)April 2, 2010

Where Fort Hood Starts
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New Soldiers New Donors
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The Army Way
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First Day Donations
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Happy Team Leader
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FORT HOOD, Texas (ASBP, March 16, 2010) - Fort Hood is known as the world's largest power-projection platform, having sent more than half a million Soldiers off to war in Iraq or Afghanistan. To feed that mission, about 400 Soldiers a week report to the Fort Hood Replacement Detachment, a busy unit comprised of dedicated professionals used to solving complicated problems of arriving Soldiers and Family Members and delivering them to their assigned units ready to train and fight.

For the commander, Capt. Donya Mosley, and her first sergeant, First Sgt. Van Woodley, the challenges of dealing with hundreds of arriving Soldiers and Family Members each week focused them on the welfare of deployed troops. In an effort to give a little more, they scheduled an Armed Services Blood Drive at their unit. This gave their staff, who often cannot break away during the day, and arriving Soldiers a chance to donate blood before they received vaccinations and became involved in busy units.

Soldiers from the Robertson Blood Center, Fort Hood's military blood donor center and one of 22 military blood donor centers around the world, set up a "mini-mobile blood drive" in a briefing room. Working with one or two donors at a time, they collected over a dozen units of blood from the Replacement Detachment's busy staff and new Soldiers arriving at Fort Hood only one day before. Staff Sgt. Steven Courchesne is typical of the experienced and skilled noncommissioned officers that serve as the cadre of the detachment. His attempts to donate in the past had run into frustrating deferrals as his deployments include Somalia, Iraq, and locations in Asia. But he says "I know it is the thing to do. I wasn't able to before but you are here now."

As a team leader, noncommissioned officers like Staff Sgt. Courchesne lead a group of incoming Soldiers through series of briefings; health, dental, financial, and logistical checks; orientation speeches from senior leaders; and an introduction to the world's largest military installation. Their efforts ensure that the arrival of thousands of Soldiers each year goes smoothly and that they arrive at their units ready to train and deploy.

Some Soldiers, like Pvts. First Class Martin Garcia, Christopher Mott, and Randall McGregor, donated blood on their first day assigned to Fort Hood. This is known as "Day 1" at the replacement detachment. Sliding into the chair between a busy schedule of briefings and training prior to assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division, McGregor said "I've done this once before in AIT (Advanced Individual Training - ed.) but now I've gotten it out of the way on my first day." Asked if he would return to donate again, the motivated Soldier shook his head - yes.

Sergeant Edgar Alejandro donated and challenged other incoming Soldiers to do the same. "A lot of people coming from Korea cannot but I never took the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) trip. When I heard about it I was glad for the opportunity. Every time I get a chance, I like to donate blood." When eligible donors return just a few times each year, they insure that the blood supply is sufficient for all.

In the end, the blood drive was very successful and collected products to be sent to military hospitals and the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. The donors may have been new but their donations will help others continue to grow.

To find out more about the Armed Services Blood Program or to make an appointment visit www.militaryblood.dod.mil. To interact directly with some of the staff or to get the latest news, visit them at Facebook.

Related Links:

Armed Services Blood Program