Residents are invited to help wounded troops serving on the front line during an annual blood drive at Fort Carson.

Wednesday marks the final day of the Armed Services Blood Program’s annual blood drive — a program that stockpiles military hospitals and medics serving on the front lines with blood for transfusions, according to Fort Carson.

The drive, which accepts all blood types, runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Special Events Center on Fort Carson.

Only people over age 17 who are at least 110 pounds and haven’t donated blood in the last 56 days are eligible to donate blood, Fort Carson officials said.

Civilians willing to participate are asked to enter through Gate 1 and to present a photo identification card, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. All vehicles are subject to a search.

Fort Carson, Colorado Springs renew community covenant

Colorado Springs, Fort Carson and Army leaders plan to renew their commitment to cooperation on Wednesday by signing a covenant at City Hall.

Mayor Steve Bach, Maj. Gen. Joseph Anderson and the Secretary of the Army, John McHugh, will be on hand to sign the Army Community Covenant, according to a Fort Carson news release.

The covenant recognizes the contributions that soldiers and their families make in the Pikes Peak region, while recommitting the city to build more partnerships with the Army.

City and post leaders last signed a similar covenant in 2009, according to Fort Carson.

NORAD and NORTHCOM oversee massive exercise

A nuclear weapons incident at an Air Force base in North Dakota. A major hurricane that left soldiers scrambling in Texas. An airplane crash in a remote area.

Troops in Colorado Springs plan to begin coordinating a response to those simulated disasters when a major exercise begins Wednesday for U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are based at Peterson Air Force Base.

The training, called Ardent Sentry 2012, will run through May 9, according to NORAD and U.S. Northern Command officials.

Most of the exercise will take place at other bases across the country, including Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. Troops in Colorado Springs will offer assistance throughout the exercise.

“Normally what you try to do is truly stress the staff so they can achieve a new operational standard in a stressful environment,” said Army Lt. Col. Michael Jazdyk. “This is obviously good training for that.”

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