George H.W. Bush Sailors to Donate Blood

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sandi Grimnes, USs George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

June 22, 2010 - USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH, At Sea (NNS) -- USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) will conduct a blood drive June 28 and 29 from 8 a.m. to noon on Pier 14 at Naval Station Norfolk.

The Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's mobile blood bank will be on the pier to accept donations from George H.W. Bush Sailors to replenish blood supplies for the Armed Forces Blood Bank.

Registration for the blood drive will begin at 8 a.m. both days on the forward mess decks, followed by blood drawing in the mobile blood bank.

Blood donated to the Red Cross stays in the local area and only provides for civilian emergencies. Blood donated by the crew will go to the Armed Forces Blood Program, which only provides blood to military service members and family members in need, said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW) Carl R. Parker, the ship's senior laboratory technician and blood bank manager. Unless there is a national crisis, the military and the Red Cross do not share blood.

There is always a shortage of rare blood types such as O-negative, O-positive, AB-negative, and AB-positive, said Parker. Blood banks always want O-negative blood, because it is a universal blood type that is compatible with all blood types.

However, only O-negative blood can be given to someone who has O-negative blood type.

-Whole blood only lasts for 35 days, so it is important to keep replenishing the supply, said Parker. The military does its best not to throw away donated blood. Before donated blood expires, the military hospital storing it will call other military hospitals to find a user. If one is found, then it will immediately be shipped over to the hospital that needs it.

"I think the little bit of discomfort one goes through while giving blood is nothing compared to a life that might be lost by not having that blood," said Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Austan Stein, a Sailor from Reactor Department's Reactor Mechanical division. "It's a really easy way to make a direct impact on somebody."

George H.W. Bush is asking Sailors who donate through the blood drive to register to also be part of the ship's walking blood bank, Parker said. George H.W. Bush does not carry any blood products aboard, so when blood is needed in an emergency situation Medical would call on the Sailors in the walking blood bank to donate directly to the recipient in need.

The walking blood bank is for emergencies while George H.W. Bush is out to sea, Parker said. George H.W. Bush will screen volunteers and have a donor list ahead of time to make the process quicker when blood is needed.

"If you donate blood and sign up for the walking blood bank, you will be given 'vampire liberty,'" said Parker. "It's an extra bonus to help entice Sailors, but more importantly you have to remember you are saving a shipmate's life or maybe one of their family members' lives."

Vampire liberty is a half-day special liberty on a non-duty day. The date is subject to the Sailor's department head for approval.

Before giving blood one should eat a healthy breakfast, drink a lot of fluids, but not consume alcohol or aspirin products, said Parker. If the prospective donor is sick, has taken cold medicine recently, has had a tattoo in the last year, or returned from Iraq or Afghanistan in the last year, he or she will be disqualified.