Captain Patrick K. Amersbach began his career as an enlisted soldier in 1983 when he reported to MEPS at Baltimore Washington International Airport. He shipped out to basic training and then military police advanced individual training. After graduating from Airborne School, he reported for duty as a military policeman.

Eventually, Staff Sergeant Amersbach was assigned to Fort Leavenworth Maximum Security Prison. Capt. Amersbach recalled how he became motivated to change careers.
"I was at the maximum security prison at Fort Leavenworth escorting prisoners to the hospital," Capt. Amersbach said. He was particularly impressed with the Army Nurse Corps officers. "They talked about the diversity of the roles within the Nurse Corps, everything from OR, ER, flight nursing-it seemed they could do anything."

Those conversations led to a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel moment. He began evening classes following his 12-hour shifts. It was hard work, he said, but he was heading to a brighter future.

He completed his registered-nursing degree at Hawaii Pacific University and was commissioned into the Navy Nurse Corps in 1994.

Ensign Amersbach reported to his first assignment as a Navy nurse at Naval Hospital Bremerton where he worked in the medical-surgery and intensive-care units. Also reporting to Naval Hospital Bremerton in 1994 was then Ensign Jeffrey Bledsoe. Captain Bledsoe is now Senior Executive Nurse and Director for Nursing Services at Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms. "I felt we were both kindred spirits because we were both prior enlisted and we were Navy ensigns coming to Bremerton for our first duty assignments and just trying to find our way," Capt. Bledsoe said. "He'll be a phenomenal executive officer and will guide us through our day-to-day operations so that we can meet the Navy mission," Capt. Bledsoe said.
Capt. Amersbach's has extensive experience in clinical care. He was a flight nurse in Iraq.

He's worked in intensive care units and was senior nurse in the Emergency Department at Naval Medical Center San Diego. "People gravitate to where they feel most comfortable," Capt. Amersbach said. "As a manager is where I found my niche. Early on in my career I moved into division-officer positions and then department-head positions and then director positions."

Capt. Amersbach arrived to NHTP from the Defense Health Agency where he worked in the Program Executive Office. His team was responsible for contract and program management for clinical support systems, with a portfolio of over $300 million of contracts.

His scope covered the entire military health system for program support and supervision, to RelayHealth, CCQAs, the credentialing and privileging applications for the military, as well as the development of a joint-credentialing application that will be deployed to both the DoD and the VA in March 2018.

"What I bring to the table is an understanding of the complexity of these initiatives," Capt. Amersbach said. "It's understanding the training piece, the integration piece, the interface piece and their inherent challenges. I bring to the table a greater understanding as well as the patience that's going to be needed as we implement these changes."
Captain Nadjmeh Hariri, Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms Commanding Officer, appreciates her new executive officer's expertise and experience with the Defense Health Agency.

"He's a clinician and a doctorate-prepared expert in healthcare delivery and policy; but he also brings that Defense Health Agency/BUMED perspective," Capt. Hariri said. "On top of that, it's amazing how he and I see things the same way. Sometimes that's a good thing, sometimes it's not. But it makes leadership easier."

Captain Amersbach hails from Baltimore and Prince Georges County (outside of Washington D.C.). His wife, Grace, a former Navy nurse, is a nurse practitioner. They have two sons, one a lieutenant in the Coast Guard; the other is an information technology specialist. For hobbies, Capt. Amersbach enjoys hiking, reading and movies.

He notes that a focus on the family is what off-time activities should really be about. He feels energized about returning to a hospital command.

"To me, leadership is a privilege that I take very seriously. My role is to do what I can to insure everybody with whom I interact feels supported and empowered to make decisions and evolve into competent leaders themselves."

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