Bruce D. Rutherford

Brace D. Rutherford is a native of Pineville, Kentucky located in Bell County. He graduated
from Bell County High School in 1967, and afterward continued on to Morehead State
University where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in 1971. After graduating from
MSU, Captain Rutherford entered the United States Navy and was posted at a number of naval
or military medical facilities all around the world. During his time with the Navy, he served in
various administrative roles responsible for coordinating logistical blood support for the facilities
he oversaw. Positions he held as these bases include U. S. Pacific Command’s Unified
Command’s Joint Blood Program Officer: Component Command Blood Program Officer,
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet; Area Joint Blood Program Officer, Okinawa Area; and
Blood Donor Center Officer, U. S. Naval Hospital Okinawa. Later, he went on to become the
Director of the Navy Blood Program at the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery in
Washington, D.C., and eventually the Director of the Armed Services Blood Program where he
coordinated the blood programs of the three services: Army, Navy and Air Force. He served as a
Department of Defense liaison to the Health and Human Services’ Blood Safety and Availability
Committee, the Institute of Medicine’s Blood Safety Forum. and the American Association of
Blood Banks’ Standards Committee and their Transfusion Transmitted Disease Committee. His
awards include: Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal,
Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (w/Star), Meritorious Unit
Commendation, Overseas Service Ribbon (w/Star), National Defense Service Medal and Office
of the Secretary of Defense Badge. In 2013 he was award a Lifetime Achievement Award by the
Armed Services Blood Program.