Learning From the USS John S McCain Incident

Since the last time the Royal Navy took significant casualties at sea, institutional memory of the response has faded, while our understanding of mental health issues and treatment has increased. Ryan Easterday and Charlotte Evans use a tragic collision at sea as a case study to examine the mental health challenges experienced by the surviving crew following a mass casualty event, as well as actions taken to address those challenges. By assessing those actions against observed outcomes and research-based mental health best practices, the authors identify several lines of effort that leaders can employ to ensure Royal Navy readiness for similar challenges in the future.