62nd Medical Brigade Soldiers operate surgical suites at Madigan to strengthen warfighting readiness

MADIGAN ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. -- On February 26, 2026, soldiers from the 62nd Medical Brigade have successfully operated surgical suites at Madigan Army Medical Center seven times since January 2026. This operating room sharing program is part of an ongoing initiative to increase unit readiness and warfighting capability.

The Soldiers taking part in the program are from the 758th and 250th Forward Resuscitative and Surgical Detachments. FRSDs are designed to provide far-forward damage control resuscitation and damage control surgery to stabilize combat casualties for medical evacuation to higher roles of care. Operating in high-stress and austere environments, FRSD teams must function seamlessly while delivering rapid surgical interventions to control traumatic injuries and hemorrhage.

To strengthen that capability, the operating room sharing initiative began in September 2025, placing 68C practical nursing specialists, 68D operating room specialists and 68W combat medics from the 250th and 758th FRSDs into clinical rotations at Madigan. Since the program’s launch, participating Soldiers have collectively supported 180 surgical cases, gaining hands-on experience across the full spectrum of perioperative care, including preoperative preparation, intraoperative surgical support and post-anesthesia recovery.

“The value isn’t simply providing surgery; it’s the efforts of each individual training and externally validating their skills that enable the team to work independently within the operating room,” said Maj. Christopher Lee, the Intensive Care Unit Officer in Charge for the 758th FRSD. “This builds individual and team readiness while forming cohesive teams.”

During the January surgical suite operations, the 758th FRSD directly managed all aspects of patient care for six cases. Madigan personnel supported the effort by providing a surgeon and a 66E perioperative nurse serving as circulating nurse, ensuring patient safety and continuity of care.

FRSDs assigned to the 29th Hospital Center, 62nd Medical Brigade, are tasked with providing manned, equipped and trained ready medical forces capable of rapidly deploying in support of multidomain operations.”. Initiatives such as the operating room sharing program enhance mission readiness by allowing Soldiers to refine their clinical skills, maintain military occupational specialty proficiency through individual critical task lists and strengthen overall unit capability.

By integrating operational medical units into a high-volume military treatment facility, Army Medicine leaders aim to ensure FRSDs remain ready to deliver life-saving care whenever and wherever the mission requires.