Photo By Douglas Stutz | Safety oversight the steady standard…For 22 years, Michael J. Pearson, in his...... read more read more
With familial roots dating back to the Battle of Gettysburg, Michael J. Pearson has added another 42 years of military service to extend his heritage legacy.
Pearson is retiring at the end of September, 2023, with 22 years at Naval Hospital Bremerton as Safety and Occupational Health Manager, after serving 20 years on active duty.
“I plan to enjoy my retirement life volunteering and enjoying time with my loving wife and family,” said Pearson, wrapping up a career spanning five decades which originated from a rural setting before setting sail across the seven seas.
“I am from the small town of Towanda, Pennsylvania. It has a population of approximately 2,000. Towanda means peaceful resting place. It gets its name from Native Americans who considered the land a beautiful place to bury their dead,” explained Pearson, who graduated from Towanda Area High School in 1978.
He then spent some time traveling and working at various locations throughout the U.S. Upon returning home for a visit, he received some fatherly advice which strongly alluded to the need for some discipline and direction in his personal life. Perhaps consider the military. After discussing that notion with one of his brothers, Pearson decided to join the Navy and become a dental technician.
“One of my older brothers was a Navy dental technician and I always wanted to help people,” remarked Pearson, who officially joined in November 1981 under the delayed entree program.
“My great, great grandfather fought and was wounded at Gettysburg for the Union army,” added Pearson. “I have four older brothers, two who served in the Army and two who served in the Navy. I was continuing the family tradition of service.”
He then spent the next two decades primarily as a west coast Sailor, including participating in Desert Shield [August 1990 to January 1991] and Desert Storm [January-February 1991] and deploying to the Persian Gulf when assigned from 1993 to 1996 on the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). He has also served onboard the amphibious command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA 1) and been assigned to such shore duty stations as Naval Station San Diego, Naval Support Activity Detachment Gaeta, Italy, Naval Dental Center Philadelphia and Naval Dental Center Northwest Bremerton.
“Geographically, Navy Medicine has taken me to both coasts of the U.S., the majority of the islands in the Pacific Ocean, Far East, Middle East and Europe,” noted Pearson.
After retiring from the Navy in 2002, he started his civil service career as a safety specialist for Navy Region Northwest before transitioning to Navy Medicine at Naval Hospital Bremerton in 2003.
“Professionally I have had two career paths in Navy Medicine. In each path I have been able to develop from a junior role to a leadership role, such as becoming a leading petty officer when on active duty to a civilian department head in civil service capacity,” reflected Pearson, also citing that being part of Navy Medicine afforded him the opportunity to grow and become a much more reliable and responsible adult and valued staff member.
Yet more importantly to him, he matured as a steadfast husband and dependable father.
“I am married to a wonderful woman, father of six children and grandfather of two boys,” Pearson said.
From his position as NHB’s appointed safety manager over the years, he has overseen a host of duties – such as safety inspections, data collection and analysis and fire prevention – to maintain patient, as well as staff, safety needs. He consistently ensured NHB staff are trained to recognize potential physical hazards and has also managed staff activities to reduce the risk of mishaps. His duties for the military treatment facility have included such routine obligations as prevention and control of workplace hazards, mishap investigation and reporting, and interim life safety measures.
But as vital as all the compliance, protection and conditional needs have been, perhaps what has been most fulfilling for Pearson during his tenure is when he has been able to prepare, guide and instruct active duty personnel.
“Training the next generation of Sailors to be successful in their careers and any inspection such as the Joint Commission and watching as they take the lead has been an impactful contribution,” related Pearson, also citing that fostering and maintaining a culture of safety throughout the command can be a challenge at times.
“But being a part of eight highly successful Joint Commission surveys and several Medical Inspector General and Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspections has been gratifying,” Pearson, admitting it’s just human nature at times to relax and let standards slack and have others take their own personal safety - as well as patient safety - for granted.
Not on Pearson’s watch though.
He has continually strived over the years to eliminate any signs of complacency.
“We make safety fun by developing relationships with management and staff,” said Pearson. “It also means that being a part of Navy Medicine is being a part of something larger.”
When asked to sum up his experience with Navy Medicine after all these years, Pearson replied, “Navy Medicine is all about the relationships formed with the patients and your co-workers to deliver quality and safe care. I hope I have made positive impacts on the lives and wellbeing of others.”
| Date Taken: | 09.19.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2023 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 453752 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 159 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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