The University’s ROTC programs held a blood drive Monday in support of the U.S. military, raising a record-breaking 79 units of blood in the process. While donors were encouraged to register online, dozens of students, faculty and local community members also participated in walk-in donations in Newcomb Ballroom throughout the day.
The annual event, organized primarily by cadets in the University’s Army ROTC program, is in its third year after now 1st Lt. Kaitlyn McQuade started the program four years ago. Since then, cadets from the School of Nursing have continued to run the blood drive, and fourth-year Nursing student and cadet Lauren Odegaard has continued the legacy this year.
“Specifically, these [donations] go towards providing blood for service members,” said Lt. Colonel Mark Houston, professor of military science and head of the Army ROTC program. “It’s safe to be used in military installations and abroad when we’re doing military operations.”
This year, the ROTC programs teamed up with the Fort Bragg Blood Donor Center, which is one of 20 centers worldwide that partake in the Armed Services Blood Program. The program has been the sole provider of blood donations to the U.S. military since 1962.
“Without drives from the ASBP the military must buy the blood from civilian hospitals,” Odegaard said. “This is why the drive is important — the blood goes directly to a soldier wounded in combat, or a veteran that has served in previous wars, or a soldier's child diagnosed with cancer at home.”
The event carries personal significance for Houston, as he was a recipient of blood donations while serving overseas.
“It’s a sense of pride, doing something that will potentially help somebody that is serving others,” Houston said. “That’s kind of what we’re all about it in the military — we’re all about serving others. The message was, ‘help those who are serving our country by giving blood today.’ It’s a big day to our military and specifically our military medical professionals.”
The blood drive also hits home for Madison Briggs, a second-year College student and regular blood donor.
“My brother is currently active duty in the Navy so when my mom told me that it was being done by ROTC and Fort Bragg, it was especially important because all of the donations go towards military personnel [and] military families,” Briggs said. “Definitely a cause close to my heart.”
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