344 MIBn sets new record for blood donations Published Nov. 14, 2007 By Airman 1st Class Luis Loza Gutierrez Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Soldiers from the 344th Military Intelligence Battalion, a tenant unit on Goodfellow Air Force Base, set a new record for blood donations during the installation's recent Down Range Blood Drive. The two-day blood drive began Oct. 18 at the Event Center. "These records are a testament to the Army's dedication to its fellow servicemembers. Our Soldiers live by the Army values; they never leave a fallen comrade and they are there for one another, on or off the battlefield," said Lt. Col. Kemp Chester, 344th MI Battalion commander. "I am very proud of all our Soldiers for this enormous accomplishment. Their combined effort has once again raised the standard for future Soldiers to follow," he said. The Down Range Blood Drive was done as a collaboration between Goodfellow AFB, United Blood Services of San Angelo and Lackland AFB in San Antonio. United Blood Services personnel pre-screened donors and collected the units (blood donations). Once the units are collected, they are then shipped off to Lackland where the units will be screened and tested by medical personnel in order to once again ensure the units are safe for recipients. Lackland then ships the units to different locations around the world where they will be used to treat military personnel serving "down range" in various deployment areas, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It takes about four days for the units to go from Goodfellow to servicemembers downrange. According to Gloria Johns, blood drive liaison, 212 units were collected over the two days. By comparison, the next closest two-day event collected 164 units. Additionally, Alpha Company tied the record for the most units donated in one day with 112 units on Oct. 19. Bravo Company originally set the 112 mark on December 7, 2006. "These are amazing statistics that were discussed in the hallways of United Blood Services last week, and was the first point of business at our quarterly meeting with our Lubbock staff today," said Ms. Johns after the blood donation results were announced. "I have been told that one blood unit, which is about a pint, can be used to produce three life-saving by-products. That means that the 212 blood donations collected during this drive have the potential to treat and save the lives of more than 600 of our fellow brothers and sisters-in-arms. That's an amazing fact; one that no Soldier or leader can help but be enormously proud of," concluded Lt. Col. Chester.
