We’ve Heard Of Child Soldiers, But That’s Ridiculous
Blood Donation, College & University, Strangers, Stupid, USA | Healthy | March 3, 2020
(It’s circa 2009 and there is a blood drive going on at our school. I am sitting with a worker, doing the health screening questionnaire to rule out anything that would disqualify my blood. There are some questions that definitely shouldn’t apply, such as whether or not I’ve been in various parts of the world a decade before I was born, but I understand they need to be asked. Then, we get here
Worker: “Between 1988 and 1995, were you in the military or the dependent of someone in the military?”
Me: “Yes.”
(There’s a long pause.)
Worker: “So… you were a dependent?”
Me: *pause* “Yes.”
(Granted, I could have been more specific. But given that this blood drive was being held at a college, primarily with young adults who had only reached the age of conscription in the last five years, AND given that she had my birthdate of 1990 right in front of her on my paperwork… I didn’t think I needed to!)