Voluntary Blood Donation

After your final fitness assessment, you'll have the opportunity to donate blood during BMT. This is totally voluntary. You'll make your own informed decision on whether or not to donate — it may or may not be right for you at this time.

Consider the level of physical training you'll be required to do during technical training and over the next 6–12 months of training and potential deployment.

Donation undeniably serves a critical and life-saving need — but there are real risks you should understand before you sign up.

Health Risks

• Donating blood can decrease iron levels by 25% in men and 75% in women. It can take up to 200 days in men and 300 days in women for iron levels to return to pre-donation baseline.
• Iron is essential for preventing fatigue, maintaining healthy bones and immune system, and reducing the risk of injury such as stress fractures.
• Iron is also necessary for your red blood cells to carry oxygen to your brain, muscles, and other tissues.
• Your red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. It may take up to 2 months to recover them, and you may notice a slight decline in cognitive and physical performance during that window.
• If you donate, plan to take it easy for the rest of the day following donation.

Air Force Qualification Risk

A unique risk to donating blood during BMT involves the testing of your blood after it's collected — for infectious diseases.

• If your blood is found to be positive for one of these diseases, you'll be notified by a letter to your home of record or by Reid Clinic.
• Depending on the results and your medical evaluation, you could potentially be discharged from the military for not meeting medical accession standards — which still apply for 180 days after starting BMT.
• If you test positive for a subclinical (no symptoms) viral infection, it's better to know that information and receive treatment if necessary, before complications of a smoldering infection occur — even though it may negatively impact your military career.

What to expect

Near the time of donation, you'll see an informative video. Ask your MTI if you have any questions or concerns.

You are not required to travel to the Blood Donor Center if you decide donating at this time is not right for you.