Deployment of the Surgical Life-saving Module (SLM) in 2017: Lessons learned in setting up and training operational surgical units

•SLM was designed to ensure damage control surgeries close to combat zones.•SLM is particularly useful in small-scale military operations.•SLM deployments in larger military operations highlighted its ability to adapt both in terms of equipment and personnel.•the SLM appears to be an operational forward surgical unit of choice during most of the military deployments.