AABB23: Armed Services Blood Program: Readiness in the Present with a Focus on the Future

The Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP), the official blood program of the U.S. Department of Defense since 1962, provides quality blood products and support to military health care operations worldwide. It is comprised of integrated blood and blood product support systems and operational elements of the Defense Health Agency, the Military Services and the Combatant Commands. 

Today’s session titled, “Armed Services Blood Program: Readiness in the Present with a Focus on the Future,” focused on novel blood product research and development initiatives and new program initiatives in support of operational readiness. The session began with a video that featured service members, retirees and veterans expressing their gratitude for life-saving blood donations. ASBP Deputy Director Navy Captain Leslie E. Riggs, MLS (ASCP) SBB, provided a brief overview of the ASBP and a 2022 year-in-review recap, which highlighted the implementation of six Blood Policy Letters and 25 Technical Guidances, the ASBP Recruiter Conference, the successful Artic Thunder multi-day blood drive and more.  

Riggs also discussed research on red blood cells’ shelf life and low-titer O whole blood.  

“While our RBC and FFP have longer shelf life that are useful in specific conditions, our low-titer whole blood in trauma and hemorrhage shock has proven advantageous,” Riggs stated. “ASBP is continuing to pursue that initiative along with many of our partner nations. When we meet with our NATO partners, we realize that is something that we need.”  

He also noted lyophilized plasma is becoming a major push. It’s being described as a bridge to transfusion, he added. 

Major Nicole Ferguson, USAF, MHS, MLS, SBB, discussed blood capability and capacity improvements, which included the creation of the Memorandum of Agreements/Understanding Branch to facilitate and assure approval for blood collection by civilian entities. These agreements must be reviewed by DHA as the approval authority. It also allows transparency in credit usage and the ability to share credits amongst the DoD enterprise. The impact would ensure civilian entities can collect through appropriate agreements and utilize the credits to reduce blood purchasing costs, she noted.  

“This is a huge one. We like to maximize our existing relationships that we have with our civilian donor centers, and we have great relationships,” Ferguson told the audience.  

Lifetime Achievement Award 

The session concluded with the 2023 ASBP Lifetime Achievement Award presentation to honor retired U.S. Army Colonel Richard “Rich” Gonzales for his lifelong transformative contributions to the Armed Services Blood Program. He has supported the military blood banking community across varying roles, always making an impact wherever he served. Gonzales retired in 2015 with 30 years of service in the U.S. Army.  

“Rich laid the foundation for a lot of the work we are doing now with freeze-dried plasma,” U.S. Army Col. Christopher Evans, Army Blood Program Director, announced in his speech.  

“Throughout his career, Gonzales has consistently ensured ASBP mission success, mentored others in the military and civilian blood communities and made advances in the development of new blood products and technologies. For these reasons among others the ASBP congratulates retired U.S. Army Colonel Richard Gonzales on earning this year’s Armed Services Blood Program Lifetime Achievement award,” Evans stated. 

 Gonzales received a standing ovation for his achievement and gave a short acceptance speech.