MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Lt. Melvin Rolon, a University of Scranton alumnus, recently received the Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer (SWMDO) warfare qualification serving aboard the U.S. Navy warship, USS Boxer, operating out of San Diego, California.
Rolon joined the Navy 24 years ago and graduated from the University of Scranton in 2019 and 2021 with a Master of Health Administration and a Master's in Health Informatics.
The SWMDO warfare qualification is designed strictly for Medical Corps officers who go through nine months of didactics, observing and shadowing different warfare areas on board an amphibious assault ship, followed by three months of studying and culminating with an oral board examination by each warfare areas' subject matter experts.
"This qualification allowed me to gain more knowledge about the roles and responsibilities of other departments and how everything ties together to carry out operations," said Rolon. "It is impressive how much everyone from the most junior to the leaders, knows about their areas of responsibilities. Being qualified helps me appreciate and understand the hard work that every sailor on board puts in daily to accomplish the mission. I am proud to be part of the Boxer Strong Family."
Boxer is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship and the sixth U.S. ship to bear the name of the original HMS Boxer, which was captured by the British during the War of 1812.
Amphibious assault ships transfer Marines, equipment and supplies and can support helicopters or other aircraft. Boxer’s crew is made up of approximately 1,200 crewmembers and can accommodate up to 1,800 Marines.
As Rolon and other sailors continue to train and perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the U.S. Navy.