Lt. j.g. Caleendrea Roldan is a Navy Reserve Nurse who, like many others in her field, has been on the frontlines battling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic for over two years. 
 
Already a registered nurse, Roldan joined the Navy and completed Officer Development School in 2019, just in time for the beginning of the global COVID-19 outbreak.
 
“I wasn’t mobilized by the Navy for COVID relief, so I was able to remain in the area and help out at home,” said Roldan. “When the pandemic first started, we had people coming from more populated areas and we didn’t know how hard Newport News or Hampton Roads in general was going to get hit.”
 
Roldan, a Williamsburg resident, was proud to be able to serve her community. While most of her time was spent on the civilian side as a registered nurse, Roldan was still able to bring valuable experience her new command, Naval Hospital Jacksonville, when her annual training turned into an extended annual training.
 
Her skillset also helped fill a critical role when she was asked to serve at Navy Medical Center Portsmouth as the emergency room nurse for the USS Comfort’s quarterly training exercise, designed to keep the Comfort’s crew prepared to rapidly respond to a global emergency.
 
Roldan said she was inspired her family to join the military medical community.
 
“Nursing was something I always saw myself doing,” said Roldan. “And because I have nurses in my family, it just kind of made sense. In my immediate family my Dad, my sister, and my brother all served in the military as well.”
 
Roldan takes great pride in her family’s history of service and hopes to keep that tradition alive.
 
“I have more extended that has served in the military as well, like my father’s brother, and one of my cousins,” said Roldan. “I know I have made my parents proud, and I hope to continue the legacy from here on out.”