Camp Lejeune Marines add friendly competition to blood drive

Mark Brighton

Everyone loves a little friendly competition, and Marines at Camp Lejeune took advantage of this to increase the supply of blood available to their comrades who need it. Marines with Headquarters and Support Battalion (HQSPTBn) coordinated a competition between companies during the Armed Services Blood Program blood drive on base recently.

Security Company and Companies A, B and I participated in the challenge, for which they had to donate a minimum of 10 pints of blood just to qualify.

"Marines are competitive by nature," said Lieutenant Colonel David Bardorf, commanding officer of HQSPTBn. "We've had a lot of blood drives throughout the year. We've got a steady stream of donations, but based on a battalion of this size, I would have thought there would have been more. So what better way to get them to donate some blood, then to make it a little competition, pitting one company against another to see who's going to come out on top."

The company that donates the most units of blood will get a 72-hour liberty period to be coordinated through the company's officers in charge and directors.

"Anything we can do to increase the inventory of blood is something we're proud to do," Bardorf said.

<hr/>

News brought to you by PCS-Lodging.com - your one stop shop for Camp Lejeune lodging.