In the midst of an Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) blood drive, a hospital corpsman and two frequent donors were recognized for their life-saving efforts by ASBP Director Capt. Roland Fahie, at the Rear Adm. William A. Moffett Building, NAS Patuxent River, July 25.

Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jazmaine Ware, a lab technician with Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, received a framed Certificate of Appreciation for her coordination of four blood drives per year at Pax River, resulting in over 700 pints collected during the three years she performed the collateral duty.

Responsible for reserving the space to set up the blood drives, acting as the liaison between Pax and ASBP, spreading word of the drives and recruiting donors, she said she never expected to be recognized for her work.

"It's just something I chose to do to help out, but I'm very grateful," said Ware, who will soon leave the Navy and return to college to study chemistry.

"HM3 Ware has consistently gone above and beyond in support of our mission," said Donna Onwona, public affairs specialist and donor recruiter, ASBP National Capital Region. "She has always been extremely responsive whenever we needed a blood drive or when we've needed a 'bigger' blood drive during challenging times. She was always ready and willing to kick up recruitment efforts."

Onwona went on to note that ASBP has a core of faithful donors at Pax River and two of them, TJ Youhn, APM(T&E) for Combat Identification Systems at PMA-213, and Paul Waxman, NAWCAD energy manager, have donated more than eight gallons between them. Both were presented with coins by ASBP during the drive.

"Donors give a pint of blood and a gallon is eight donations," Onwona said. "About a year ago, we began having a blood drive with Fleet Readiness Command and their efforts helped us collect 151 units in the past year. Overall, we've collected over 3,500 units of blood since we've been coming to Patuxent River."

ASBP provides blood to Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and their families worldwide, and anyone receiving blood or blood products in a combat area will receive blood through ASBP.

According to information provided by the organization, since its inception in 1952, more than 1.5 million units of blood have been transfused for battlefield illness and injury.

"Blood collected at Patuxent River contributes to our weekly quota of blood shipped into theater and supplies military treatment facilities in the National Capital Region, including Walter Reed National Military Medical Center," Onwona added.

Blood and blood products are used for patients of all ages and for many reasons, including to treat cancer patients, surgical patients and battlefield injuries.

"Each unit is critical when you consider 40 or more units of blood may be needed for a single trauma victim," Onwona said. "Donating blood helps save countless lives."

The ASBP is a joint operation that requires coordination among the blood programs of the military services and unified commands. The ASBP Program Office manages the blood program for the DoD.

To learn more about ASBP, visit www.militaryblood.dod.mil.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy,or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, visit www.navy.mil/local/patuxent/.