Those of us who lived in Europe in the 1980s as part of US forces (or their family members) are not allowed to donate blood because we ate red meat from Europe during that time period. This is because by eating that meat, the US gov't is concerned that we might have become infected with mad cow disease. I have never heard that any US forces or family members did come down with it, and I don't know how long this restriction will last.

Jean B