Why can an '80's junkie donate blood, when an '80's soldier can't?

SGT Robert Pruner You likely can now donate, the FDA made a ruling change in 2020. This was never about a Red Cross "rule" or internal position, it was the FDA making the call.
"In 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted a longstanding ban that prevented some 4.4 million Veterans, service members and civilians stationed in certain parts of Europe between 1980 and 1996 from donating blood. The ban was meant to prevent transmission of a deadly brain disease commonly known as “mad cow disease.” The fatal disease is believed to be acquired by consuming contaminated beef. U.S. bases at the time sourced potentially tainted beef from the United Kingdom, where the disease was first recognized in 1985.

The FDA made the change after finding there have been no reported cases of the brain disease associated with time spent on U.S. military bases in Europe."

In the 1980s the US Military bought beef from England that was sold all throughout Western Europe. In that era there was Mad Cow disease among the the country's cows, which 'could have been' transmitted to the US Military in Europe. To my knowledge no US Military, including those stationed in Britain, has ever gotten Mad Cow Syndrome.
But its okay - All the dependents, tourists, private school attendees, wealthy, and business traveler that traveled to Europe and Great Britain and ate the same food are allowed to give blood. There's no shortage of 'tainted blood'.

You say that you have tried many times to donate blood. Each time you were denied, they told you the reason for the denial because that is the policy. You were informed why you could not donate blood, so why are you continuing to try and donate blood when you have repeatedly been denied? No one on RallyPoint knows your history. Your questions should be directed to the American Red Cross or wherever you tried to donate blood.