Mitch Meppelink
By Ashley Craig, Navy Office of Community Outreach
Fallon, NV–Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Petty Officer 2nd Class Rodney Bolden, this story has ties to San Diego, California, where skills and values learned there are foundational to success in the Navy.
“I played a lot of football growing up, which taught me teamwork and being team-oriented,” Bolden said. “It taught me to trust other people, to play my role, to be unreserved and to give it my all. My coach always told me, ‘You don’t want to look back and wish you’d done more.’ That taught me to give it my all, because my teammates are counting on me.”
Bolden attended Morris High School and graduated from Rancho Bernardo High School in 2015.
Bolden joined the Navy seven years ago.
“My great-grandfather was in the Navy, my grandfather was in the Navy and my dad was in the Navy,” Bolden said. “I’ve got cousins, uncles and aunties in each branch. I felt like it was my time to pick up that torch and continue on. The military has been part of my family for generations and the Navy felt like a natural fit.”
Today, Bolden serves as an aviation ordnanceman assigned to Fleet Readiness Center West Detachment Fallon onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon.
The air station provides joint and allied nation rotational forces the unique opportunity to train in realistic combat scenarios while employing every element of an air carrier wing. It is the only facility in the world with this ability. The aircraft stationed at NAS Fallon support aircraft carrier missions around the world.
NAS Fallon is host to 21 tenant commands, including the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC). As the Navy’s premier tactical air warfare training center, NAWDC is home to multiple weapons training schools, including TOPGUN. In 1969, TOPGUN was introduced with the mission of reducing casualties of naval aviators sustained during the Vietnam War. Within a year, this goal was reached with the United States having one casualty for every 12 enemy deaths. Since then, TOPGUN has continued to train the finest naval aviators and has inspired two blockbuster movies, one released in 1986 and its sequel released in 2022.
Carrier strike groups and the embarked aviation squadrons are the cornerstone of U.S. naval power projection and sea power. They can quickly maneuver thousands of miles with the world’s most capable warships and top-notch sailors, remaining on station in areas of interest without relying on land bases or overflight agreements. U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are the most adaptable, lethal, and survivable airfields in the world and their presence serves as the most credible commitment to our allies and partners.
Naval aviation provides the Navy and our nation with a flexible, adaptable and lethal force to preserve peace, respond in crises and win decisively in combat. The U.S. Navy maintains and operates more than 2,000 aircraft to fulfill various mission sets in order to preserve the American way of life and ensure freedom, security and prosperity.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Bolden has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I’m proud of overcoming setbacks in my career,” Bolden said. “At one point, I lost my rank, and a lot of people thought I wouldn’t come back from it. I worked hard to come back and earn my rank again. It showed my junior sailors and me that yes, it was a challenge I had to overcome, but I was able to do it.”
Bolden serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
“Serving in the Navy means putting others before yourself,” Bolden said. “I like to think going to church taught me a lot about that, about serving others. That’s what the military is; you’re serving other people, you’re putting your life on the line. Serving in the military is a sacrifice.”
Bolden is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“First and foremost, I’d like to thank God, who helped me get through a lot,” Bolden said. “I also want to thank my dad, my mom, and my wife. They all helped me keep my head screwed on tight when I needed it.”
