Story Archive

This Town Ain't Big Enough ... or Maybe It Is! (April 2012)
This town ain't big enough for the two of us! Or is it? The truth is that is really depends on the size of the town, or in this case, the university. Recently, the ASBBC-PNW conducted a blood drive at Oregon State University, in Corvallis, Ore., a small town of just over 54,000 residents...

Two for 200 (April 2012)
A rainy March day at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., was made a little brighter when two of the ASBBC-PNW's finest donors, Charles Dowd and Leslie Gracey, showed up. On Mar. 15, 2012, the men and their wives, who are also donors, arrived at the donor center to be recognized for reaching their 200th platelet donation to the ASBP.

Donor Appreciation Day in Pacific Northwest (February 2012)
In January, snow, ice and power outages caused the Donor Appreciation Day Ceremony to be postponed. But the ASBBC-PNW was not going to let the winter weather get the best of them, and the ceremony was rescheduled. Although the ceremony was a few weeks late ...

Just a Little Air Support on the Ground (January 2012)
During a time when collecting enough blood can be a challenge, a reserve unit and a retiree turn a weekend training day into a life-saving event. Shortly after his retirement from a military intelligence unit at the Earl VanEaton Reserve Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. ...

It's Up to the BOSS (December 2011)
It was the single best blood drive in more than three years at the Nelson Recreation Center. In fact, it was the single best blood drive for any location on Fort Lewis at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., and it was all because of the BOSSthe Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers organization at Fort Lewis.

One of Our Own Inducted into the Donation Hall of Fame (November 2011)
The ASBBC-PNW was honored to induct one of our own into the Donation Hall of Fame! The blood donor center conducted a ceremony to recognize Todd Cosgrove, the quality assurance and compliance coordinator of the ASBBC-PNW, and one of our most dedicated donors.

The Last Drop (October 2011)
Since 2008, the ASBBC-PNW has been conducting bi-annual 9/11 memorial blood drives at the Presidio of Monterey Defense Language Institute, Calif. Over the past three years, a total of 1,518 units of blood were collected from the donors at the location-211 of which were collected over two days in September 2011. However, the recent blood drive ...

ASBBC-PNW Encourages Returning Service Members to Donate for Those Still Deployed (September 2011)
Summer has come and gone, and as it swept through, several brigades now have soldiers eligible to donate again, albeit only for a short while as they train for their next deployment. The fall season and new fiscal year comes with budget cuts for the military, including the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest. It was necessary for the ASBBC-PNW to travel to collect blood because most of the local Army units at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., had deployed and were not eligible for a two year period. Now that they are eligible to donate again the blood donor center only has a short time to collect their donation.

Suggestion from Armed Services Blood Bank Saves Man's Life (September 2011)
It's not every day that someone comes in to the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest ready to save a life by donating blood and leaves with advice that will ultimately save their own life. But for Greg McGary, a repeat donor with the ASBBC-PNW, that is exactly what happened.

The Nurse That Keeps Bringing Them in for More (September 2011)
Okay, we'll admit it-finding someone in the medical profession that you are eager to go back and see on a regular basis can be hard to find. But here at the ASBBC-PNW, we are lucky enough to have one of those nurses that make you want to come back in again, and again ... and again.

14th Combat Engineer Battalion Receives Recognition (July 2011)
In 2010, several Army units stood out at a time when it was hard to conduct a blood drive at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Among them was the 14th Combat Engineer Battalion. Each year, the ASBBC-PNW recognizes the standout donors and organizations for their support of the ASBP.

23rd Chemical Battalion Receives Recognition (July 2011)
Every year during the Donor Appreciation Day ceremony, the ASBBC-PNW recognizes donors and organizations for their support of the Armed Services Blood Program. In 2010, three Army units stood out at a time when it was hard to conduct a blood drive at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Big Ship Filled with Big Hearts (May 2011)
At a recent April blood drive, a few sailors gave from the heart-hearts as big as the USS John C. Stennis Aircraft Carrier in port at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash. Because of a busy deployment schedule for the USS Stennis and sailors, it has been two years since the ASBBC-PNW has conducted a blood drive aboard the ship.

The Psychology of Donating (May 2011)
It was no doubt that the dreary day required the proper mental state for those that planned on attending an ASBP blood drive. Normally, the soldiers of the Army Reserve 320th Psychological Operations Company use psychological warfare against the enemy. But on this day, it was the psychology of these soldiers that determined whether or not they would donate blood.

Always Someone to Count On (April 2011)
Twice a year the ASBBC-PNW heads south to the Monterey Defense Language Institute to conduct blood drives. The spring weather was great, but the donors were more impressive! Some of the personnel are at the institute for up to two years meaning they have the opportunity to donate up to four times with the Armed Services Blood Program.

Donor Appreciation Day in Pacific Northwest (April 2011)
Shortly after the Valentine's Day celebrations stopped in Washington, a new set of celebrations began. On Feb. 28, 2011, the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest (ASBBC-PNW) recognized the most important people in the world... well, at least to them.

A School Project to Change Lives (April 2011)
Camas High School senior, Brayden Meyer, needed a senior project to graduate. He was having a hard time finding a topic, when an unfortunate family event occurred. However, the event spurred an idea with Meyer, and soon, the student not only had an idea for a senior project, but a way of helping to save lives of service members worldwide.

Thirty Years and Counting (March 2011)
Begin donating blood at age 17 and donate every 56 days until you reach 76, and you would donate a total of 48 gallons of blood. That is 59 years of regular donations-no easy task for anyone. But one ASBBC-PNW donor is up for the challenge. Kevin Meehan still has another 28 years to go and he has no plans on stopping.

It's the Navy! (March 2011)
Enough cannot be said about the great donors of the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Naval Station Everett. Every 56 days, the amount of time allowed between donations, the ASBBC-PNW conducts blood drives at the site and donors always show up, eager and willing to roll up their sleeves to give blood.

A Gallon? How About Two? (March 2011)
128 ounces, 8 pints, 4 quarts, 3.8 liters-whether in a milk jug, water bottle or blood bag, all of those measurements will still equal a gallon. One donor at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest (ASBBC-PNW) however, recently completed his 16th pint donation, reaching the prestigious two-gallon mark.

One Man's Quest to Donate Platelets (February 2011)
It was Jan. 18, 2011, at 8:30 a.m., when retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Edward Nelson arrived at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash. His wife insisted on coming along, and there was a good reason for it. Her husband was about to complete his 100th platelet donation to the Armed Services Blood Program.

A Faithful Donor (February 2011)
Command Master Chief, Tony Silveira, the top enlisted sailor of the Fleet Readiness Center Northwest at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, sets the example for his command as a faithful donor to the ASBBC-PNW. He began donations with the ASBBC-PNW in August 2000, and has been donating off-and-on since.

Blogging for Blood from the Front Line (January 2011)
As an effort to find positive stories for our donors detailing what happens to their gifts after they are donated, I sent a request to Col. Mark Thompson, deputy commander for Clinical Services at Madigan Health System supporting the 62nd Medical Brigade deployed in Afghanistan.

A Drive to Save Troops Overseas (January 2011)
The Armed Services Blood Bank Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord hosted a blood drive at the Lewis Main Exchange Jan. 5. The Armed Service Blood Program of the Pacific Northwest provided equipment and mobile units, which were used to collect desperately needed blood for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Can't Stop Those Wheels from Rolling: ASBBC-PNW Continues Road Trip Across Pacific Northwest (November 2010)
During the last stop of their mobile blood drive tour across the Pacific Northwest, the ASBBC-PNW team was in for a big surprise when they stopped at Oregon State University.

Giving 'Til She Couldn't Give Anymore (November 2010)
Renate Rogers has been a loyal donor with the ASBBC-PNW for thirteen years; so dedicated in fact, that she gave blood until doctors told her she could not give anymore. A familiar face in the donor center, Rogers could regularly be found relaxing in the donor chair entertaining others with her stories.

The Annual Migration (November 2010)
There is an annual Army cadet migration which occurs mainly in July when cadets make their way to Fort Lewis, Wash. These migrating cadets gather at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., during the summer months and hale from various University Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs in nearly every state and U.S. Territory.

Road Tripping Across the Pacific Northwest, Part 2: San Juan Islands (November 2010)
During the second week in October, the ASBBC-PNW traveled north towards the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Naval Station Everett. By the end of the five-day trip, the ASBBC-PNW had collected over 200 units of blood to help military men and women overseas who need blood.

Road Tripping Across the Pacific Northwest: Washington and Idaho (November 2010)
On average, the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest travels for two weeks each month; however, in October, the ASBBC-PNW will be adding an additional week worth of travel, spending most of the month conducting mobile blood drives across the Pacific Northwest.

Soldiers Available and Ready to Donate (October 2010)
Eager blood donors filed into a small classroom in a hanger on the edge of the Gray Army Airfield at Joint Base Lewis, McChord, Wash., when the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest launched a blood drive with the 4th Squadron, 6th U.S. Cavalry-XVIII Airborne Corps.

Defense Language Institute Rocks the Language of Giving (October 2010)
The Department of Defense premier language training facility-The Presidio of Monterey Defense Language Institute in California-teaches 24 languages and several dialects. Recently they added the language of giving with a practical lesson about the power of blood.

A Family Affair (September 2010)
As the saying goes "a family that gives together stays together," and these words certainly ring true for the Boyer family. Angie Boyer, an employee at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., is also a regular blood donor to the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) - Pacific Northwest region.

Blood bank needs help saving lives (August 2010)
They're not vampires but they do want your blood. Victor Shermer, Armed Services Blood Bank Center - Pacific Northwest donor recruiter, said the need for blood is critical for saving lives downrange.

Keeping the Momentum Moving (July 2010)
A little known, yet important fact is that if you stand in front of an Airman intent on donating blood, you may get pushed aside with "air [force] power," as was the case at the McChord Field Blood Drive held on June 29, 2010.

Not Only Do They Build Ships, They Save Lives! (July 2010)
Hundreds of dedicated employees of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., donate blood for deployed military personnel. These enthusiastic employees are essential to the shipyard, working as electricians, plumbers, welders, crane operators, and forklift operators, just to name a few.

Mountain Home AFB - True ASBP Supporters! (May 2010)
The Armed Services Blood Bank Center (ASBBC) travels all over the Pacific Northwest to conduct blood drives, some of which are quite a distance from the blood bank center based in Fort Lewis, Wash. One of the locations the donor team conducts annual blood drives with is the Mountain Home Air Force Base (AFB), which historically brings many enthusiastic individuals out to donate.

Give a Pint, Get a Sub: Sub Shop Owners Recognized for Supporting Blood Drives at Naval Station Everett. (April 2010)
Hungry? Want to help your fellow service member? Head down to Naval Station (NS) Everett, where you will get a free sub sandwich for every pint of blood you donate to the Armed Services Blood Program.

Monterey Defense Language Institute Hosts Blood Drive (April 2010)
The Presidio of Monterey's Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center hosted the first of two annual Armed Services Blood Program blood drives this past March. The language institute is the Department of Defense premier training facility...

Service with A Smile at Fort Lewis PX (April 2010)
On March 19, 2010, the Armed Services Blood Program at Fort Lewis conducted a blood drive for the associates of the Fort Lewis PX, located at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES).

McChord Field Increases Blood Donor Participation by 150% (March 2010)
On March 16, 2010, McChord Field was recognized for its outstanding support to the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest (ASBBC-PNW)-part of the Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP)-for increased donations in 2009. The presentation took place...

The Armed Services Blood Bank Center Says Goodbye to a Comrade (January 2010)
For some the year 2009 will fade away like an old friend and for others it may be "good riddance". For the staff at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center (ASBBC) at Fort Lewis, Washington, it meant literally saying good-bye to a friend and fellow employee.

Operation Warrior Forge (September 2009)
A couple of days here and few days there, they kept coming and coming, and it seemed like it would never end. "They" are the future commissioned officers of the Army; "They" are now "Cadets". It all started on July 6th and ended July 28th when the Cadets started lining up at Fort Lewis to donate blood to the Armed Services Blood Bank Center - Pacific Northwest (ASBBC-PNW)

An Exclusive Club: Donor Reaches His 150th Platelet Donation (July 2009)
To honor those who have fought and died on the battlefield, Chief Warrant Officer Charles Dowd, donated platelets as close to Memorial Day as he could and instantly joined a very special club-platelet donors who donate 150 units or more.

The Adventures of Jim and Linda at Fort Lewis! (July 2009)
Jim and Linda Parker are traveling cross country to donate blood to the Armed Services Blood Program. Read here about their trip to Fort Lewis! Platelets are that special part of blood needed by patients who are gravely wounded and with illnesses such as cancer and leukemia. The collection of platelets is called apheresis, and is done by drawing blood

Blood Detachment Deploys to Iraq (October 2007)
Three more units belonging to the 62nd Medical Brigade are on their way to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 551st Medical Company (Logistics), the 673rd Medical Company (Dental) and 153rd Medical Detachment (Blood) cased guidons for movement Oct. 19 in the Sheridan Sports and Fitness Center, said farewell to the community and their loved ones.