The army forward surgical team: Update and lessons learned, 1997-2004

Although the U.S. Army stood up two prototype airborne forward surgical teams (FSTs) in the early 1990s, it officially fielded the first 20-man FST in March 1997. Since then, Army FSTs (of which there are now 14 active and 23 reserve) have deployed on numerous combat, peacekeeping, and disaster-relief missions throughout the world. Although initially designed primarily for forward resuscitative surgery in support of short-term, offensive combat operations, the FST has become one of the Army Medical Department's most frequently deployed "long-term" health care facilities, i.e., long term for the assigned personnel. The purpose of this article was to review the history of the FST, define its mission, delineate pitfalls in its employment and to make personnel and material acquisition recommendations for the future.