DoDI 6480.04

Department of Defense

INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 6480.04
August 13, 2012
Incorporating Change 1, Effective October 2, 2013
USD(P&R)
SUBJECT:

Armed Services Blood Program Operational Procedures

References: See Enclosure 1

1. PURPOSE. This Instruction:
a. Reissues DoD Instruction (DoDI) 6480.04 (Reference (a)) in accordance with the
authority in DoD Directive (DoDD) 5136.01 (Reference (b)) and DoDI 5025.01 (Reference (c))
to implement policy established in DoDD 6000.12E (Reference (d)), assign responsibilities, and
prescribe procedures to carry out the responsibilities of the Armed Services Blood Program
(ASBP) during peacetime, contingency, and wartime operations.
b. Prescribes the mobilization planning process for blood and blood products (class VIIIB)
in support of geographic Combatant Commanders with the support of the Commander of U.S.
Transportation Command. Planning factors do not include electrolytes, colloids, or fluid
requirements.
c. Establishes the requirement for publishing, procurement, and utilization, by military blood
bank facilities, of the AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks)
Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services (Reference (e)), and AABB Technical
Manual (TM) (Reference (f)).
d. Prescribes guidance for the establishment and implementation of blood bank procedures
by the military blood bank facilities, as appropriate, in accordance with title 21, Code of Federal
Regulations (Reference (g)).

2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction:
a. Applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, and the DoD Field Activities, and all other
organizational entities within the DoD (hereinafter referred to as the “DoD Components”). The

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
term “Military Services,” as used herein, refers to the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and the
Marine Corps.
b. Applies to all DoD Component blood programs and the Armed Services Blood Program
Office (ASBPO) to include:
(1) The collection, processing, distribution, and use of blood and its components by
military facilities on a local or regional basis in accordance with the policies of the respective
Military Services.
(2) The procurement of blood and its components, for military use, from sources outside
the DoD.
c. Applies to the maintenance and implementation by the ASD(HA), the ASBPO, the
Military Services, and the geographic Combatant Commands of plans to provide for the activities
in subparagraphs 2.b.(1) and 2.b.(2) of this section.
d. Applies to research and development programs devoted to progress and improvement in
the areas of blood products, plasma volume expanders, blood substitutes, and the techniques,
facilities, and materiel related thereto.

3. DEFINITIONS. See Glossary.

4. POLICY. It is DoD policy, in accordance with Reference (d), that the ASBP shall be a single,
integrated blood products (Class VIIIB) support system composed comprised of the ASBPO, and
the Military Services’ and geographic Combatant Commands’ blood programs. The ASBP shall:
a. Be coordinated by the ASBPO.
b. Provide all blood and blood products to DoD medical treatment facilities (MTFs) for
peacetime and wartime use.
c. Adhere to current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) and regulations published by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the standards of national accrediting
agencies. The readiness posture of the program shall be maintained through an active voluntary
donor program, comprehensive blood collection, blood product manufacturing, quality assurance
(QA), logistics, transfusion training programs, an FDA-approved information management
system that meets functional and regulatory requirements for licensed facilities, an information
management system to support Military Service operational units, a dedicated blood and materiel
research and development program, and aggressive involvement in joint exercises.
d. Respond to homeland defense contingencies and public health emergencies by supporting
civilian authorities. This is coordinated through the AABB Interorganizational Task Force on
Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism. This task force coordinates blood requests and

Change 1, 10/02/2013

2

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
support, as covered under the medical and public health section of Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) Emergency Support Function No. #8: Public Health and Emergency
Services Annex of the National Response Framework (NRF) (Reference (h)).

5. RESPONSIBILITIES. See Enclosure 2.

6. PROCEDURES. See Enclosure 3.

7. INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS. The ASBP status reports referred to in
paragraphs 4.a, 4.b, 4.c, and 4.d of Enclosure 3 of this Instruction are exempt from licensing
requirements in accordance with paragraph C4.4.2 of DoD 8910.1-M (Reference(i)).
a. The Operational Data Reporting System (ODRS).
b. Contingency Blood Reports.
c. Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory (ASWBPL) Daily Inventory
Reports.
d. ASWBPL Weekly Compliance Reports.

8. RELEASABILITY. UNLIMITED. This Instruction is approved for public release and is
available on the Internet from the DoD Issuances Website at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.

9. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Instruction:
a. This Instruction iIs effective August 13, 2012.
b. This Instruction mMust be reissued, cancelled, or certified current within 5 years of its
publication to be considered current in accordance with Reference (c).
c. If not, this Instruction wWill expire effective August 13, 2022 and be removed from the
DoD Issuances Website if it hasn’t been reissued or cancelled in accordance with Reference (c).

Change 1, 10/02/2013

3

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
Enclosures
1. References
2. Responsibilities
3. Procedures
Glossary

Change 1, 10/02/2013

4

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ENCLOSURE 1: REFERENCES .............................................................................................6
ENCLOSURE 2: RESPONSIBILITIES ...................................................................................8
ASD(HA) .............................................................................................................................8
SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS..................................................8
SECRETARY OF THE ARMY ..........................................................................................9
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE ...............................................................................10
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY .........................................................................................10
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF .........................................................11
GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMANDERS ..........................................................11
COMMANDER, U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND .............................................11
ENCLOSURE 3: PROCEDURES ..........................................................................................13
GENERAL PROVISIONS ...............................................................................................13
BLOOD COLLECTION, DISTRIBUTION, STORAGE AND TRANSFUSION ...........13
ASBPO...............................................................................................................................14
ASBP BLOOD REPORTS ...............................................................................................15
MOBILIZATION PLANNING ........................................................................................16
GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................17
PART I. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ..........................................................17
PART II. DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................18

Change 1, 10/02/2013

5

CONTENTS

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
ENCLOSURE 1
REFERENCES

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)

(l)

(m)

(n)

(o)
(p)

DoD Instruction 6480.04, “Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) Operational
Procedures,” August 5, 1996 (hereby cancelled)
DoD Directive 5136.01, “Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)),”
June 4, 2008
DoD Instruction 5025.01, “DoD Directives Program,” October 28, 2007
September 26, 2012, as amended
DoD Directive 6000.12E, “Health Service Support,” January 6, 2011
Technical Manual 4-02.70/Navy Medical Publication-5120/Air Force Manual.41.111_1P,
“AABB Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services,” current edition 1
Technical Manual 8-227.3/Navy Medical Publication-5101/Air Force Manual 41-119,
“AABB Technical Manual,” current edition1
Parts 200 to 299, 600 to 799, and 800 to 899 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations
Department of Homeland Security, “National Response Framework,” January 20082
DoD 8910.01-M, “Department of Defense Procedures for Management of Information
Requirements,” June 30, 1998
DoD Directive 6025.21E, “Medical Research for Prevention, Mitigation, and Treatment of
Blast Injuries,” July 5, 2006
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Memorandum, “Revised Policy
Regarding Civilian Blood Collections on Military Installations, Leased Facilities and
Aboard Ships,” August 10, 2004
Deputy Secretary of Defense Memorandum OSD 15545-07, “Policy on Blood Donations
by Non-Department of Defense Individuals to the Armed Services Blood Program,”
October 9, 20073
Technical Manual 8-227-11/Navy Medical Publication-5123/Air Force Instruction 44-118,
“Operational Procedures for the Armed Services Blood Program Elements,” September 1,
20074
Blood Program Letter 10-01, “Department of Defense (DoD) Policy on Blood Donor
Screening, Donor Deferral, Notification and Lookback to Include Updated Multiplex
HIV/HCV/HBV Nucleic Acid Testing Algorithm,” March 4, 20105
Joint Publication 4-02, “Health Service Support,” October 31, 2006
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Manual 3122.03A, “Joint Operation Planning and
Execution System, Volume II, Planning Formats, and Guidance, Appendix Q,” current
edition

1

Available for purchase online: http://www.aabb.org/Pages/Marketplace.aspx.
Available online: http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/.
3
Available online: http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil/Staff/ha_policy.aspx.
4
Available online: http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil/Staff/op_manuals.aspx.
5
Available online: http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil/Staff/bpl.aspx.
2

Change 1, 10/02/2013

6

ENCLOSURE 1

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
(q) Blood Program Letter 10-05, “Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) Frozen Blood
Replacement Plan Update and New Frozen Blood Usage Requirements,” September 10,
20105
(r) DoD Instruction 3216.02, “Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical
Standards in DoD-Supported Research,” November 8, 2011
(s) Blood Program Letter 05-02, “Armed Services Blood Program Operational Data Reporting
System (ODRS),” June 24, 20055
(ut) Blood Program Letter 10-03, “Policy for the Transportation, Storage, Processing,
Distribution, and Reporting of Blood Products at the Armed Services Whole Blood
Processing Laboratories,” May 24, 20105
(vu) DoD Instruction 6025.13, “Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) and Clinical Quality
Management in the Military Health System (MHS),” February 17, 2011
(wv) Technical Manual 8-227-12/Navy Medical Publication-6530/AFH 44-152, “Technical
Manual, Armed Services Blood Program, Joint Blood Program Handbook,” December 1,
20114

Change 1, 10/02/2013

7

ENCLOSURE 1

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
ENCLOSURE 2
RESPONSIBILITIES

1. ASD(HA). The ASD(HA), under the authority, direction, and control of the Under Secretary
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, shall:
a. Develop military blood program policies.
b. Ensure that blood program requirements are appropriately reflected in the Defense
Medical Programming Guidance and in the DoD budget.
c. Coordinate with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and
serve as Co-Chair of the Armed Services Biomedical Research, Evaluation, and Management
(ASBREM) Committee in accordance with DoDD 6025.21E (Reference (j)), ensuring the
development of DoD research program objectives relating to blood products align with the
requirements of the geographic Combatant Commands.
d. Provide administrative guidance on:
(1) Planning and resource oversight of initiatives designed to implement automated data
processing support to all ASBP elements.
(2) Civilian blood agencies’ collection of blood on Military and Federal installations,
Military leased facilities, and aboard ships to minimize the impact on the military blood program
in meeting its readiness requirements, as outlined in ASD(HA) Memorandum (Reference (k)).
(3) Non-DoD civilian provisions for donating blood on Military and Federal
installations, Military-leased facilities, and aboard ships, as outlined in Deputy Secretary of
Defense Memorandum (Reference (l)).
e. Appoint the Director of the ASBPO, following a recommendation from the Force Health
Protection Integrating Council (FHPIC). The Director of the ASBPO will normally serve a 4year tour based on nominations from the Military Services.
f. Oversee Director, ASBPO, in implementation of the procedures described in Enclosure 3
of this Instruction.

2. SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS. The Secretaries of the Military
Departments shall:
a. Establish and maintain a blood program that provides blood and blood products, to the
maximum extent possible, to DoD Component MTFs in peacetime, contingency, and wartime, in
accordance with References (e) through (g).

Change 1, 10/02/2013

8

ENCLOSURE 2

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012

b. Provide funds, facilities, a student officer contingent, and support personnel, as required,
to maintain the Tri-Service Blood Bank Fellowship Program, the Armed Services Blood Donor
Centers (BDCs), the ASWBPLs, blood product depots (BPDs), and the ASBPO.
c. Fund transportation of respective Service-collected and processed blood and blood
products and incidental expenses associated with their delivery to the first continental United
States (CONUS) destination.
d. Provide personnel for the ASWBPLs, in accordance with staffing requirements explained
in TM 8-227-11/Navy Medical Publication-5123/Air Force Instruction 44-118 (Reference (m))
and to Armed Services Blood Bank Centers (ASBBCs), as required through Service
memorandums of understanding.
e. Ensure BDCs meet or exceed the ASBP assigned weekly blood products quotas and
provide those blood products to the ASWBPLs on a scheduled basis, as directed by the Service
Blood Program Offices (SBPOs).
f. Maintain an FDA license or registration for Service blood collection and transfusion
facilities. The license holder has the authority to communicate directly with the FDA on matters
pertaining to licensed facilities.
g. Maintain a lookback program in accordance with Blood Program Letter (BPL) 10-01
(Reference (n)) that provides the capability to notify former blood recipients or donors that they
may have received or donated infected blood or blood products. Appropriate counseling, testing,
and treatment must be available for those who have received or donated infected blood or blood
products.
h. Follow ASBP guidance and procedures as directed by the ASD(HA).

3. SECRETARY OF THE ARMY. The Secretary of the Army, in addition to the
responsibilities in section 2 of this enclosure, shall:
a. As the DoD Executive Agent (DoD EA) for the ASBPO, as designated by Reference (d),
provide to the ASBP:
(1) Those support personnel, facilities, and budgetary resources, as required.
(2) Funding for all blood and blood products purchased through activation of standby
civilian contracts for blood and blood products.
(3) Assistance coordinating with the selection process for the Director, ASBPO, and by
submitting names of Military Service nominees to the ASD(HA) FHPIC.

Change 1, 10/02/2013

9

ENCLOSURE 2

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
b. Provide appropriate support personnel, facilities, and budgetary resources, as required, to
support dedicated Army medical detachment blood support (MDBS) units, and Army BPDs.
c. Exercise the Army MDBSs and Army BPDs, as requested by the ASBPO, in coordination
with the appropriate geographic Combatant Commander.
d. Coordinate with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the ASBPO before closing,
transferring, or deactivating an operational Army MDBS or Army BPD in accordance with this
Instruction.

4. SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE. The Secretary of the Air Force, in addition to the
responsibilities in section 2 of this enclosure, shall ensure that the Air Force, as the lead Service
for the ASWBPLs and Expeditionary Blood Transshipment Centers (EBTCs) in accordance with
Reference (m) and Joint Publication 4-02 (Reference (o)), shall:
a. Maintain at least two ASWBPLs in active status and at appropriate CONUS air terminals
to process and ship blood products to CONUS and outside CONUS locations in support of
geographic Combatant Command requirements, in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
b. Provide the ASWBPLs and EBTCs the appropriate facilities and budgetary resources, as
required.
c. Coordinate the joint staffing of the designated ASWBPLs by appropriate medical
personnel of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, in accordance with staffing criteria outlined in
Reference (m).
d. Exercise the ASWBPLs and EBTCs, as requested by the ASBPO in coordination with the
appropriate geographic Combatant Commander.
e. Coordinate with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the ASBPO before closing,
transferring, or deactivating an operational ASWBPL in accordance with this Instruction.
f. Obtain concurrence of the respective geographic Combatant Commander or a designated
representative before closing, deactivating, or transferring an EBTC.

5. SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. The Secretary of the Navy, in addition to the responsibilities
in section 2 of this enclosure, shall:
a. Provide appropriate support personnel, facilities, and budgetary resources, as required, to
support dedicated Navy BPDs.
b. Exercise the Navy BPDs, as requested by the ASBPO, in coordination with the
appropriate geographic Combatant Commander.

Change 1, 10/02/2013

10

ENCLOSURE 2

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012

c. Coordinate with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the ASBPO before closing,
transferring, or deactivating an operational Navy BPD in accordance with this Instruction.

6. CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff shall:
a. Review and provide guidance to the geographic Combatant Commands on all matters of
blood support in joint operations both for planning and execution, in accordance with Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Manual 3122.03A (Reference (p)).
b. Coordinate with and advise OSD, on behalf of the geographic Combatant Commanders,
regarding the activation of the ASBP for contingency blood support.

7. GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMANDERS. The geographic Combatant Commanders
shall:
a. Ensure that their respective DoD Component commands establish and maintain integrated
blood programs for providing blood products to the medical elements within their area of
responsibility.
b. Ensure that ASD(HA) blood program policies are followed and joint doctrine is used in
accordance with Reference (o).
c. Appoint a Joint Blood Program Officer (JBPO) authorized to coordinate with the ASBPO
and manage as the single integrated medical logistics manager (SIMLM) for the geographic
Combatant Commander’s blood program. This officer ensures that blood products and blood
services medical readiness requirements are identified and that DoD capabilities are adequate to
meet those requirements as the single integrated medical logistics manager (SIMLM) that is
authorized to manage, with assistance from the ASBPO, the geographic Combatant
Commander’s blood program.
d. Assist the ASBPO in implementing theater lookback policies and procedures.
e. Maintain a robust blood program throughout the area of responsibility, as demonstrated by
operational readiness, involvement in exercises, and sponsoring Joint Blood Program
Conferences.
f. Apply current casualty rates to forces at risk for each operational plan. Those numbers
shall be used with the appropriate planning factors detailed in paragraph 5.c of Enclosure 3 of
this Instruction to determine the blood product requirements and are incorporated for inclusion in
the respective operational plans, as appropriate.

Change 1, 10/02/2013

11

ENCLOSURE 2

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
8. COMMANDER, U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND. The Commander, U.S.
Transportation Command, shall:
a. Coordinate transportation of blood and blood products from the ASWBPLs to the
geographic Combatant Command designated aerial port of debarkation.
b. Provide sufficient airlift in the quantity and frequency to meet the blood product delivery
requirements of the geographic Combatant Command.

Change 1, 10/02/2013

12

ENCLOSURE 2

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
ENCLOSURE 3
PROCEDURES

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
a. This enclosure provides the basic information on the operational procedures of the ASBP.
b. Additional ASBP procedural information is in Reference (m).
c. Each SBPO maintains one FDA license. All Service blood collection and transfusion
facilities are FDA-licensed or registered through their designated SBPO (Army, Navy, and Air
Force).
d. Each SBPO maintains a comprehensive Service-level blood QA program, using in
accordance with FDA cGMPs and regulations, is maintained at the Service level. The QA
program has responsibility for the overall quality of the finished product and the authority to
control the processes that may affect this product.
e. Each SBPO maintains oversight of civilian blood agency collections on Military
installations in accordance with Reference (k).

2. BLOOD COLLECTION, DISTRIBUTION, STORAGE, AND TRANSFUSION
a. Whole blood (WB) and apheresis products (e.g., red blood cells (RBCs)), plasma, and
platelets (e.g., PLTs)) are collected by ASBP BDCs and ASBBCs worldwide.
b. All blood donations must will occur on Mmilitary and Ffederal installations, Mmilitaryleased facilities, or aboard ships afloat in accordance with Reference (l).
c. WB collected is will usually be manufactured into components (e.g., RBCs, fresh frozen
plasma/plasma frozen within 24 hours (FFP/PF24), cryoprecipitate (CRYO), and platelets) using
cGMPs.
d. Blood products collected or manufactured are generally distributed to:
(1) ASWBPLs in support of military or contingency operations.
(2) MTFs to support transfusion needs.
(3) Local government or civilian hospitals when excess products are available and
specific needs are identified.

Change 1, 10/02/2013

13

ENCLOSURE 3

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
e. ASWBPL quotas are determined by the ASBPO and tasked to the SBPOs. Facilityspecific quotas are assigned by the responsible SBPO.
f. Frozen blood products (e.g., frozen RBCs, FFP/PF24, CRYO) are pre-positioned at
various locations worldwide including certain Navy ships in accordance with BPL 10-05
(Reference (q)).

3. ASBPO. The ASBPO shall:
a. Coordinate the day-to-day activities of the ASBP, in accordance with the policies
developed by the ASD(HA) and the plans, programs, standards, and procedures established by
the DoD, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Combatant Commands, and the Military
Departments. As required, serve as the DoD direct liaison for coordination and policy
recommendations with the organizations in subparagraphs 3.b.(l) through 3.b.(4).
b. Serve as a military point of contact for blood bank program support matters for other
Government and U.S. DoD, NATO, federal, and non-federal civilian agencies having an interest
in blood products and related items, including but not limited to:
(1) The geographic Combatant Commands.
(2) The FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), and the FDA
Blood Products Advisory Committee (BPAC).
(3) The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Emergency Preparedness,
the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), and the Blood Safety Committee HHS Advisory
Committee on Blood, Organ, and Tissue Safety and Availability (BOTS).
(4) NATO’s Medical Blood Advisory Team (MBAT).
(45) The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for activation of the contingency blood
contracts, blood equipment, and supply procurement contracts.
(56) The Defense Medical Material Program Office on the development of essential
characteristics of equipment, supplies, policies, and procedures associated with military blood
banking programs.
c. Be staffed by a minimum of three officers from the Medical Service Corps (Army and
Navy) and Biomedical Sciences Corps (Air Force) in the grade of O-4 or above, preferably with
a certification as a Specialist in Blood Banking (SBB), preferred. One officer shall serve as the
Director and the others as Deputy Directors.
(1) The position of Director shall be nominative, rotating sequentially among the
Services on a 4-year cycle when there is a Service-qualified candidate, as determined by
ASD(HA). Qualified candidates at a minimum should be an in the minimum grade of O-5 or,

Change 1, 10/02/2013

14

ENCLOSURE 3

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
with the grade of O-6 recommended, with having a diverse experience background in military
blood bank programs and medical planning operations.
(2) All ASBPO members carry out their ASBPO assignments as their primary duty.
d. Receive and take appropriate action on military requirements for blood products that
exceed Military Service resources.
e. Coordinate the preparation of written guidelines for policies to be used as minimum
standards by the Military Services.
f. Coordinate the development of technical aspects of blood research programs, conveying
requirements through the ASD(HA) to the ASBREM in accordance with DoDI 3216.02
(Reference (r)).
g. Collate DoD emergency and mobilization blood product requirements and ensure that
plans are in place to meet those requirements.
h. Establish contingency blood product quotas to be maintained at the ASWBPLs and assign
requirements to the Military Services to meet those quotas.
i. Coordinate with the Joint Staff and oversee the operations of the ASBP during
contingencies.
j. Coordinate theater blood program issues with the geographic Combatant Commands
through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which includes:
(1) Operations plan and contingency plan blood support review, to include sourcing of
blood requirements.
(2) Pre-positioning of frozen blood products to meet contingency theater blood product
requirements.
(3) Direct liaison with allied blood programs.
k. Develop guidance used by the Military Services’ facilities involved in the manufacture,
storage, distribution, and transfusion of blood products. Such guidance is distributed as BPLs.

4. ASBP REPORTS. ASBP leaders use various reporting mechanisms to achieve total asset
visibility requirements for continually monitoring the operational status efficiency and quality of
blood collection and blood transfusion facilities worldwide. Common reporting mechanisms
include:
a. ODRS. Blood collection and transfusion facilities input data on a monthly basis into
ODRS. This data provides blood product collection, manufacturing, testing, shipping, and

Change 1, 10/02/2013

15

ENCLOSURE 3

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
inventory, as well as staffing, supply, and other operational data in accordance with BPL 05-02
(Reference (s)).
b. Contingency Blood Reports. Military Service operational units within a geographic
Combatant Command shall report blood program operations during deployments, contingencies,
or wartime. The units shall preferably use an information management system, or alternatively,
U.S. message text formats, or ASPBPO/geographic Combatant Command JBPO-prescribed
format, as appropriate.
c. ASWBPL Daily Inventory Report. Unless notified otherwise, each ASWBPL shall
submit a Daily Inventory Report to ASBPO on Monday through Friday of each week, excluding
holidays in accordance with BPL 10-03 (Reference (t)).
d. ASWBPL Weekly Compliance Report. The ASWBPLs shall submit, via the Air Force
SBPO, the Weekly Compliance Report. This report provides information on quota compliance
for each Service, amount of products received from civilian sources, age of blood, and frozen
product breakage data in accordance with Reference (t).
e. Sentinel Events. Official reporting is through the respective Service Surgeon General's
Office and Quality Management Offices, as defined in DoDI 6025.13 (Reference (u)). SBPOs
shall also provide to the ASBPO an executive summary (EXSUM) of any sentinel event that
involves serious injury or death. In addition, SBPOs shall also submit to ASBPO an EXSUM on
all adverse events that are reported to the FDA. On behalf of ASD(HA) and in response to
taskers, ASBPO will collaborate with SBPOs to coordinate responses within the Department of
Defense and with other federal and civilian departments and agencies.

5. MOBILIZATION PLANNING. Based on geographic Combatant Command’s medical
planning factors (e.g., number of wounded in action, non-battle injury, and MTFs), the type and
numbers of blood products that may be required to support contingencies or wartime will be
determined using blood planning factors, as outlined in TM, ASBP Technical Manual, Armed
Services Blood Program, Joint Blood Program Handbook (Reference (vv)).

Change 1, 10/02/2013

16

ENCLOSURE 3

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
GLOSSARY
PART I. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

AABB
ASBBC
ASBP
ASBPO
ASBREM
ASD(HA)
ASWBPL

American Association of Blood Banks (formerly known as)
Armed Services Blood Bank Center
Armed Services Blood Program
Armed Services Blood Program Office
Armed Services Biomedical Research, Evaluation, and Management
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
Armed Services Whole Blood Processing Laboratory

BDC
BPD
BPL

Blood Donor Center
blood product depot
Blood Program Letter

cGMPs
CRYO
CONUS

current good manufacturing practices, FDA
cryoprecipitate
continental United States

DLA
DoDD
DoDI

Defense Logistics Agency
DoD Directive
DoD Instruction

EA
EBTC
EXSUM

Executive Agent
Expeditionary Blood Transshipment Center
executive summary

FDA
FFP/PF24
FHPIC

Food and Drug Administration
fresh frozen plasma/plasma frozen within 24-hours
Force Health Protection Integrating Council

JBPO

Joint Blood Program Officer

MDBS
MTF

medical detachment blood support
medical treatment facility

Change 1, 10/02/2013

17

GLOSSARY

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012

ODRS

Operational Data Reporting System

PLT

Platelets

QA

quality assurance

RBCs

red blood cells

SBB
SBPOs
SIMLM

Specialist in Blood Banking
Service Blood Program Offices
single integrated medical logistics manager

TM

Technical Manual

WB

whole blood

PART II. DEFINITIONS
These terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this Instruction.
AABB. A civilian blood banking association (formerly known as the American Association of
Blood Banks) that establishes international standards for blood banks. The AABB also publishes
the “Standards for Blood Banks and Transfusion Services,” the “Technical Manual,” and the
“Accreditation Manual.” Those publications have been adopted for use by the Military Services.
ASBP. The combined military blood programs of the ASBPO, the individual Military Services,
and the geographic Combatant Commands in an single integrated blood products support system
for peacetime, contingency, and wartime managed by the JBPO as the SIMLM.
ASBPO. A Tri-Service, joint field operating agency, with the Secretary of the Army as the DoD
EA, responsible for coordination of the ASBP. Responsibilities include ensuring implementation
of blood program policies established by the ASD(HA), and standardization of policies,
procedures, and equipment. The ASBPO is overall DoD manager for blood and blood products
(class VIIIB), for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, during military contingencies and
when directed by appropriate Governmental authorities for civilian relief efforts.
ASWBPL. A Tri-Service-staffed organization, with the Secretary of the Air Force as the lead
Service, responsible for central receipt and confirmation of blood products from CONUS blood

Change 1, 10/02/2013

18

GLOSSARY

DoDI 6480.04, August 13, 2012
banks and the further shipment of those products to designated geographic Combatant Command
and other MTFs.
BDC. May be Service (Army, Navy, Air Force) or Tri-Service operated. Responsibilities
include collection, processing, manufacturing, testing, and distribution of blood products. It may
be collocated with a blood bank in an MTF.
Blood Product Planning Factors. Factors used in computing mobilization requirements for blood
products (e.g., RBCs, FFP/PF24, PLTs, and CRYO).
BPD. A medical unit responsible for strategic storage of frozen blood products in a geographic
Combatant Command. Frozen blood products are provided to each geographic Combatant
Command Component based on JBPO instructions.
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. The FDA division responsible for establishing
blood banking regulations and requirements and. gGrants licenses and approvals to products
complying with those standards. The Military Services comply with those standards and each
Service Surgeon General holds a license for their respective Service’s blood program.
Class VIIIB. Logistics classification for blood and blood products.
EBTC. An Air Force-directed blood element that provides the capability to receive, store,
inventory, and ship blood products. EBTCs are normally located at major airfields, with one or
more EBTCs located in an area of responsibility.
JBPO. A Tri-Service-staffed office responsible as the Blood SIMLM for overall joint blood
product management in a geographic Combatant Command theater of operations.
lookback. A process where a BDC notifies consignees of blood or blood components from
donors subsequently found to have, or be at risk for, relevant transmissible diseases or identify
products that should be recalled for problems in purity, potency and/or safety.
MTF. Any element or unit, including Naval vessels, in which patients are treated.
ODRS. A web-based reporting system used by ASBP facilities to document collection,
manufacturing, testing, shipping, product inventory, staffing, supply and other operational data.
SBPO. A Service-staffed office responsible for coordination and management of that Service's
blood program.

Change 1, 10/02/2013

19

GLOSSARY