FORT KNOX, Ky. -- Amid the organized chaos of Cadet Summer Training 2025, a different kind of mission is underway, one that does not involve weapons or tactical drills, but is no less vital to the overall readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Military medical personnel from across the country have converged at Fort Knox to support one of the largest annual blood-collection efforts in the Department of Defense -- the CST Blood Drive.
Leading the initiative is Capt. Lowell Listerud, a laboratory officer with the 7378th Blood Detachment, based in Mesa, Arizona. With a background that includes directing the Robertson Blood Center, Listerud brings both technical knowledge and a passion for medical readiness to his first CST blood drive event.
“This gives us this opportunity to really practice our military skills and be ready for blood operations,” said Listerud. “Cadet Summer Training is one of the largest blood collection events throughout the entire year. It really fleshes out the blood supply we have within the military.”
The effort is no small undertaking. Each of the 10 planned iterations of the blood drive requires coordination among multiple personnel, including active-duty service members, contractors, civilians and Army Reserve Soldiers. Participants undergo extensive preparation, including online training modules, medical certifications and standardized testing to ensure proficiency in collection, packaging and distribution.
The volume of donations is critical to military stockpiles with emphasis on the broader value of the mission, Listerud said.
"This is more than just collecting units,” he said. “It's a training ground for our teams to maintain readiness and refine our procedures in real-world conditions."
On the front lines of the operation is Lt. Col. Jennifer Marin, a laboratory program manager at Fort Gordon, Ga. Marin said she offers a hands-on perspective of the daily grind behind each donation — from pre-screening cadets to the final packaging of blood units.
“We don’t advertise,” Marin explained. “We pre-screen them, and once that’s done, they come over to complete their paperwork.”
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Each cadet undergoes a thorough evaluation — a health history review, vital signs check, hemoglobin testing and medication screening — ensuring all donors meet Food and Drug Administration eligibility standards, said Marin.
Specific hemoglobin thresholds vary by gender, and those who do not meet the standard are deferred, preserving the safety of both donors and recipients, she said.
The process is highly organized, she said. Four cadet regiments participate each day—two in the morning, two in the afternoon. Once approved, donors contribute a unit of blood, which is weighed, mixed with anticoagulant, and separated into testing tubes before being sent to donor centers.
Volunteers from the American Red Cross and the Civil Air Patrol are stationed at every step, monitoring for adverse reactions and providing post-donation care.
“Believe it or not, we’re still using the same design they came up with in the 1960s to ship blood,” Marin said. “That’s how we ship it today — because it works.”
To encourage participation and express appreciation, cadets receive commemorative T-shirts or coins as small gestures for their altruism and dedication to service.
Amy Klug, a blood donor recruiter for the Defense Health Agency Joint Blood Program, said this effort was able to accumulate 350 new registered donors with a yield of 305 filled blood donation bags of which 280 are good usable units.
The drive’s impact extends far beyond the training grounds of Fort Knox. The collected blood will ultimately support deployed warfighters and patients across the globe, bolstering the U.S. Army Medical Command’s ability to respond to emergencies and sustain life-saving operations in combat zones.
“This event is eye opening for anyone in the medical field,” said Listerud. “Whether you are active duty or Reserve, Cadet Summer Training is a great opportunity to learn how blood is collected, handled and shipped.
"It’s one of the few chances we get to put all our training into practice at this scale.”
As the summer marches on, the CST blood drive continues to quietly fulfill a vital mission — one drop at a time.
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