SUFFOLK, Va. - (April 22, 2026) “Ready-Five” is a term many Expeditionary Medicine (ExMed) Sailors are all-too-familiar with, meaning they need to be ready to deploy with a notice of only five days. To meet this rigorous standard, constant training is required to ensure skills are developed and maintained to prepare Sailors for the fight.

Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (NMFL) and Naval Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP) ExMed Sailors from various commands such as Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Juliet, EMF Alpha, Expeditionary Resuscitative Surgical System (ERSS) Three, and Expeditionary Medical Unit (EMU) Seven joined together in Suffolk, Va. April 20-24 for a week-long combat skills training (CST) course to qualify in various fields.

“The purpose of Combat Skills training is to build the combat mindset, marksmanship, and basic field skills needed to be ready for expeditionary operations in austere, high-threat environments,” said Capt. Ewell Hollis, commanding officer, EMF Juliet.

During the week-long CST course, ExMed Sailors trained in close-quarters combat (CQC), marksmanship, personal defense skills, and more. Through this, ExMed Sailors were able to hone their combat skills and refine their warrior mindset.

“We received training on various takedowns, striking, firearms, CBRNE, land navigation,” said Lt. j.g. Lauren Hastings, an operating room nurse assigned to assigned to EMF Juliet. “I am fairly new to the military and while I was expecting to perform these types of training, I was not expecting the level of training this course has provided, and I’m very satisfied with what we are learning out here.”

The training standardized the skills required for ExMed Sailors to meet the mental resilience and physical prowess expected of a service member operating in a high-stress combat environment. It also served to build comradery throughout the fleet by bringing together Sailors from across the nation.

“It’s been very collaborative, and everyone has been very collegial in learning the skills to be more efficient coming out of the program,” said Lt. Cmdr. Derrick O'Neal, a physical therapist assigned to EMF Alpha.

Consistent and standardized training to provide confident, deployable Sailors is a vital component to Navy Medicine’s mission to project medical power to forward-deployed forces across the globe.

“The course will ensure standardization of tactical training for mobile medical team personnel preparing to deploy to provide expeditionary health services support,” said Hollis.

The Navy Medicine Enterprise's 44,000+ talented and ready forces optimize health readiness, deliver quality healthcare, and provide global expeditionary medical support to warfighters.