Training with the Best

On October 9th, USS Boxer's Medical Dept., Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 5, and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted a mass casualty drill to evaluate their readiness to handle medical emergencies. Skills practiced involved the receiving of casualties from onshore conflict, and triaging on the flight deck before sending patients down to the intensive care unit. According to Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Stephen Richardson, these types of drills are important so that the Marine counterparts onshore know the workings and capabilities of the Boxer group. Also, it makes certain that everyone knows their role and understands it.

Boxer's medical team and the FST are capable of performing surgery, x-rays, laboratory work, and hosting a blood bank while at sea. Richardson attributes their excellent training regiment to learning from past challenges and how to overcome them.