New registration procedures at bone marrow drive make process easier, less stressful, to donate Published Feb. 12, 2009 By Karen Abeyasekere 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- The bone marrow registration drive at RAF Mildenhall is scheduled for Feb. 23 through 27. During the first four days of the drive, registration will be conducted at squadrons and groups, and Feb. 27, people can register at an area inside the BXtra. In an effort to encourage more people to register as potential bone marrow donors, registration is now quick, easy and painless. It consists merely of a mouth swab and completion of two pieces of paperwork. Everyone's information is then put onto a database. If matched after registration, potential donors will be sent on temporary duty to Washington D.C. with either their spouse, a family member or friend with all expenses paid. The registration drive is open to all U.S. military members, Department of Defense civilians and contractors, and family members. To be eligible donors must be aged 18 to 60. Anyone who registered more than five years ago is asked to reregister. You can register if pregnant, but will not be called upon if matched during the pregnancy, said Master Sgt. Matthew Becker, 100th Maintenance Squadron first sergeant and lead point of contact for Team Mildenhall. While no appointment is necessary - the procedure takes just a few minutes - those wishing to register should contact their squadron or group representative (if the POC hasn't already made contact) to find out the location and times. A consent form will need to be signed. Then registration participants will then be listed on the DoD and National Marrow Donor Program Registry, according to the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Program Web site. Each individual's tissue type is determined and entered into the DoD and NMDP Registry. Blood is tested at the Navy human leukocyte antigen testing laboratory to the tissue matching type. Results are then added to the NMDP's main computer. The DoD Marrow Donor Program Web site states that once details are registered in the NMDP computer, marrow transplant medical teams throughout the U.S. and worldwide can search the NMDP file to determine if your HLA type matches the HLA type of a patient needing a transplant. If requested as a "preliminary match" through the C.W. Bill Young/DoD Marrow Donor Center, a donor coordinator will make contact to inform donors of their status. Should a donor wish to continue, an additional consent form must be signed. For military members, their commanding officer must also sign the consent form agreeing that he or she is aware that there is a relatively high chance (about 1 in 10) that you will donate marrow. There are two sources of blood stem cells that a transplant center will request: marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. PBSC donation is similar to a blood transfusion. To increase the number of blood stem cells in the bloodstream, the donor will receive daily injections of a synthetic hormone for four days before the collection, and a fifth injection on the day of collection. The blood is then removed through a sterile needle in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood stem cells. The remaining blood is returned to you through the other arm. "There are about 500 people within the military medical system waiting for a donor match," said Lt. Col. Bruce McNaughton, 100th Air Refueling Wing director of staff. "As there's less pain involved, we're hoping that will encourage more people to register. Statistics show that for every 300 military personnel registered, at least one will be identified as a potential donor." For more information on the donation process, visit www.dodmarrow.org. Squadron and group POCs for Team Mildenhall are as follows: Lead POC for Team Mildenhall - Master Sgt. Matthew Becker, DSN 238-7359 100th Air Refueling Wing - Staff Sgt. Natalie Turner, DSN 238-2140 100th Maintenance Group - Tech. Sgt. Michael Walt, DSN 238-7437 100th Mission Support Group - Senior Master Sgt. Larry Buchanan, DSN 238-5623 100th Operations Group - Tech. Sgt. Tanishea Davis, DSN 238-7593 95th Reconnaissance Squadron - Tech. Sgt. Brian Crandell, DSN 238-2608 352nd Special Operations Group - Capt. Shonna Ridings, DSN 238-4421 373rd Training Squadron - Staff Sgt. Dustin Wilder, DSN 238-4316 488th Intelligence Squadron - Master Sgt. Karen Grider, DSN 238-8403 727th Air Mobility Squadron - Janet Harmes, DSN 238-3264 JSOAC - Master Sgt. Chris Bennett, DSN 238-7504 All POCs can be contacted by e-mail at first name.last name@mildenhall.af.mil