Brig. Gen. Jed Schaertl, deputy commanding general for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs stopped by the Armed Services Blood Program blood drive May 18 to recognize the Army Reserve Soldiers working with the ASBP and gave a lifesaving blood donation too.

“It’s always great when I can get out and see Reserve component Soldiers supporting our active duty mission, supporting our family members and the community,” Schaertl said.

Staff Sgt. Nkrumah Alladin, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Reserve Soldiers assigned to Armed Services Blood Bank Center - Europe, escorted the general around to the different stations where he spoke with the blood drive team about their roles.

“It was a great feeling for our Reserve Soldiers to be recognized, but it is rally a team effort,” said Alladin. “We are a joint service team, with Army, Air Force, Navy, Dept. of Defense civilians and contractors all working together to maintain the military’s blood supply.”

The Reserve Soldiers are with the 7378 Blood Detachment, assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Their home unit is in Mesa, Ariz.
More than 132 donors gave blood during the two-day blood drive on Clay Kaserne. Their donations could help nearly 400 people, as each donation can be separated into three components; red blood cells, plasma and platelets.

The Reserve Soldiers on this rotation cycle have been a part of the blood drive team since March and in total have collected blood from more than 978 donors, potentially helping provide blood products to more than 2,900 people on and off the battlefield.

The general visited with individual Reservists at their respective stations. Staff Sgt. Claudia Brooks, Pfc. Skyler Nisbet, Specialists Thomas Reid and Jennifer Nelson explained to the general their work at each of the stations.

“These Soldiers are becoming experts in blood operations, they do everything from collecting blood, processing it according to strict FDA standards to keep the blood safe, and then shipping it out to support active military operations and patients in military treatment facilities around the world,” said Alladin.

“It’s been tremendous just how the Army Reserve medical community has really stepped up to support us not just here in USAREUR but also back in the United States,” Schaertl told the Reserve Soldiers.

“We’ve had units mobilized to go help out all over the United States and in Europe so it’s really great that you get to be a part of that,” he said.