The Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) held the 2014 Naval Hospital Guam (NHG) Blood Donor Drive aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) during the ship's goodwill port visit to Guam, Oct. 3-5.

The ASBP provides quality blood products for service members, veterans and their families in both peace and war.

"The three-day blood drive we conducted aboard George Washington was very important," said Cesar Sanchez, a donor center recruiter for US Naval Hospital Guam. "The units we received are greatly appreciated by the service members and their dependents. Donations such as these can make all the difference."

As a joint operation among the military services, the ASBP has many components working together to process, store, distribute, and transfuse blood worldwide.

"Blood that we collect can go anywhere," said Stephan. "We just sent units of donated blood to help our Department of Defense efforts in the Philippines."

According to Lt. John Stephan, Naval Hospital Guam laboratory department head, the hospital supported the ASBP by coming to the ship and collecting blood donations rather than asking George Washington Sailors to come to the hospital.

"I feel pretty good about taking a few minutes out of the day to do this," said Electronics Technician 3rd Class Stephan Mai, from Philadelphia. "I think that blood drives like these are really good because they give Sailors a chance to help those who may very much need it."

For some Sailors, this wasn't their first or last experience donating to a worthy cause.

"I always take an opportunity to donate," said Peters "This [was] an opportunity for me to help others in need, to help save lives. I'd like to encourage any other Sailors out there to donate blood whenever they get the chance as well because it goes to such a great cause."

For more information on the ASBP, visit their website at www.militaryblood.dod.mil.

George Washington and its embarked carrier air wing, Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW 5), provide a combat-ready force that protects the interests of its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.