Quote Originally Posted by psychocat
I am astounded that the US military would allow this sort of thing to happen to thier allies given that (to my knowledge) they made sure the blood given to US troops WAS checked.
I didn't read that US servicemen received pre-screened blood. If that has been the case, it's unthinkable. But do we know for sure that only soldiers and citizens from the UK received unchecked blood? Are UK and US hospital tents and temporary stations cordoned off according to where the soldier is from? I honestly have no clue.

Given the size of the population here, you're right - there should be a better system in place to gather contaminate-free blood in the event of a serious emergency and ensuing shortage. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm pretty stingy with my blood. I practically live off of coffee and caffeinated beverages, and without much water, your blood thickens. It takes forever to pump out a pint, and honestly, I can think of a few other things I'd rather do with my time. Luckily, some people love it and do it frequently. I'll just have to try and "make a difference" another way, I suppose...