Navy honors Hesperia HS alumnus Chad Galvin.

Chad Galvin

Navy honors Hesperia HS alumnus Chad Galvin.

By Douglas H. Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs Officer.

BREMERTON, Wash. – It’s not infrequent for hospital corpsmen in varied career stages to share a common connection.

Such proved to be the case for Navy Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Chad Galvin selected as Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) Senior Sailor of the Quarter.

Galvin was one of four sailors selected for the special recognition earned serving at NHB.

Galvin, a Hesperia High School graduate and Western Michigan native, is the director for medical services leading petty officer and a respiratory therapist.

Galvin’s Navy career encapsulates the diverse responsibilities of being a Navy hospital corpsman. Before his current position leading sailors in accomplishing multiple responsibilities, sharing his technical know-how and assisting command leadership with administrative and communication tasks, he served as an instructor for the Joint Navy/Army respiratory therapist program at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He has been assigned to Navy platforms in Groton, Connecticut, and Charleston, South Carolina, and deployed with Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 8 out of Norfolk, Virginia.

“The most gratifying part of my Navy career has been deploying, and the most difficult part of my career has been deploying,” Galvin said.

Galvin has continued to demonstrate Navy corpsmen traits of being able to serve in a score of environments and handle the most advanced technology and sciences to support sailors, Marines and their families. During his time with FST 8, he did two deployments – that included providing emergency care – between Sept. 2011 and Nov. 2013. He also deployed three times on the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need.

Galvin has also added an associate in applied science degree from Thomas Edison University to his Navy schooling.

The common connection among the four award recipients goes well beyond being recognized as Sailor of the Quarter. Each observes the Hospital Corps pledge to hold the care of those sick and injured to be a sacred trust, as well as dedicate heart, mind, strength to their work, and do all within their power to carry themselves as an example of all this is honorable and good throughout their Navy career.

“Congratulations on your selection and thanks for your hard work, dedication and sustained superior performance,” said Capt. Jeffrey Bitterman, NHB commanding officer. “Our sailors, Marines and their families depend on you. You deliver readiness and safe high quality healthcare on a daily basis. Keep up the great work.”

NHB Washington has a three-fold primary mission to support our war fighters, past and present, and their families by: providing exceptional care anytime, anywhere; shape military medicine through training, research, and graduate medical education; and to prepare our forces for deployment.

Tags: Hesperia High School, US Navy