Fort Bliss Hosts Record Bone Marrow Drive: Operation Ring the Bell
From August 5-16, 2024, Fort Bliss, Texas, witnessed a historic bone marrow registry drive, as over 4,000 soldiers participated in the Department of Defense's Salute to Life program. This initiative, known as Operation Ring the Bell, marks the largest bone marrow registry effort in the Army’s history, significantly increasing the Army's contribution to this vital cause.
Army Spc. Christian Sutton, a satellite communications system operator from Sumter, South Carolina, spearheaded the campaign.
"Operation Ring the Bell is a campaign to modernize and invigorate the Salute to Life Program," Sutton said. "It’s important to me because it’s an opportunity to directly impact and change both the military and my country — to save lives."
Sutton's goal is to raise awareness about Salute to Life and improve how the Army integrates these life-saving drives. His efforts, alongside his team of volunteers, have already made a substantial impact, with the drive saving ten lives so far.
Chad Ballance, a senior recruiter for Salute to Life, emphasized the potential of the Army's involvement. "The impact would be profound if initiatives like Operation Ring the Bell were institutionalized," Ballance noted. He shared his personal motivation, recalling a young child with a fatal blood cancer and his commitment to increasing donor registrations. "I started registering as many people as I could, telling them, ‘You could be somebody’s cure.’"
The drive offered a straightforward process for soldiers to participate: a simple saliva swab to provide a DNA sample. "Once a soldier understands how simple this program is and realizes the minimal impact it would have on their body, they recognize that we can all make a difference," Ballance said.
The Salute to Life program, established in 1991, has recruited over a million potential donors and coordinated more than 8,000 donations. Operation Ring the Bell is a testament to the Army’s growing commitment to this critical cause, showcasing the power of collective action in saving lives.
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