February 27, 2014 -- The few led the many in blood donations last year during which time the Fort Leonard Wood Blood Donor Center processed more than 5,700 potential donors who donated 4,992 units of blood.
The center’s staff conducted 197 drives, collecting an average of 26 units per drive. That was enough blood products made available to nearly 10,000 injured or ill individuals.
Following are the Top 10 2013 donors. In all, the organizations listed donated 2,366 units or nearly half of the year’s total collections.
10. Company C., 35th Engineer Battalion comes in at No. 10.
9. The 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade takes the No. 9 spot. This permanent-party unit donated 173 units in one three-day drive in December. They averaged 57 units per day in one of the harshest Missouri winters on record.
8. Co. C., 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment donated 181 units in three drives in 2013. This basic combat training company averaged 60 units per drive.
7. Co. B., 31st Engineer Battalion donated 189 units in 2013. This one station unit training engineer company averaged 47 units in their four drives.
6. Co. C., 58th Transportation Battalion donated 196 units in 2013. Although this vehicle transportation advanced individual training company has smaller-size classes than all others on this list, they averaged 13 units collected in each of their 15 drives throughout the year.
5. Co. B., 3rd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment is the first company on our list to break the 200 units donated mark. This basic combat training company donated 216 units in four drives, averaging 54 units per drive.
4. Co. D., 2nd Battalion, 10th Infantry Regiment donated 221 units in three drives. That’s averaging nearly 74 units per drive. This basic combat training company also logged the highest single-drive donation with 108 units collected Feb. 10, 2013.
3. Co. F., 795th Military Police Battalion donated 241 units in four drives. This one station unit training military police company averaged 60 units collected per drive.
2. Co. A., 35th Engineer Battalion donated 253 units in six drives. The one station unit training engineering company averaged 42 units collected per drive.
1. The Marines Awaiting Training and Transportation Company, U.S. Marine Corps Detachment Fort Leonard Wood took the top prize with 525 units donated in 17 drives. This included a “Marine Month” in June. The organization averaged 30 units collected per drive.
“We encourage all our Marines to do the right thing at all times — to be good people and help their fellow human beings,” said Marine Col. John Giltz, Marine Corps Detachment commander.
“Donating blood is a great way to give back to the community and help people who find themselves in a bad situation they cannot fix. It’s one thing to give your time to help, it’s quite another to give of your body. Donating blood is simply the right thing to do,” Giltz added.
Since Fort Leonard Wood is a training installation, the lion’s share of donations came from service members in training. Forty-three individual walk-in donors gave in 2013; the remainder came from service members in basic and advanced individual training companies.
The military medical system requires, on average, 400 units of blood each day or about 12,000 per month to treat everything from routine medical procedures to battlefield injuries. Making sure that blood is available when needed is the Armed Services Blood Program and the Fort Leonard Wood Blood Donor Center’s mission.
“We’re thankful for everyone who comes in to donate,” said Capt. Paul Ambrose, officer-in-charge of the Fort Leonard Wood Blood Donor Center. “Without them, we couldn’t accomplish our mission. It’s our job to get the blood that our military members and their Families need when injury or illness strikes. We simply can’t do that without people like the service members in these Top 10 donating units volunteering to donate.
For more information about the Fort Leonard Wood Blood Donor Center or to schedule an appointment at the donor center, call 573.596.5385.
To find out more about the Armed Services Blood Program or to schedule an appointment, please visit us online: www.militaryblood.dod.mil