Current Student News
Optometry
General News
Friends and family looked on with pride as Walter Benitez ‘28OD, chose the beautiful and serene gazebo on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus of Salus at Drexel University as the setting to be commissioned recently into the U.S. Navy.
This will be Benitez’s second stint with the Navy. From 2011 to 2016, he was a Navy corpsman. The first-year Doctor of Optometry student will finish his degree at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry (PCO), then head off to Officer Training School in Newport, Rhode Island, and eventually become a Navy optometrist.
Benitez spent the bulk of his first Navy stint in Italy as a corpsman before being transferred to Japan, where he was able to help with different surgeries and procedures in hospitals. After his military service and working in civilian life as a senior logistics manager, Benitez returned to school and earn his undergraduate degree in biology at the University of North Texas in 2024.Although he initially considered a career in behavioral health, after spending several months assisting a family whose daughter underwent corrective strabismus surgery for a crossed-eye condition, he knew optometry was meant for him.
It was during his first time with the Navy that Benitez crossed paths with Salus at Drexel president Michael Mittelman, OD ‘80, MPH, MBA, FAAO, FACHE, himself a 33-year Navy veteran, retired. It was Dr. Mittelman who administered the oath to Benitez during the commissioning ceremony, which was also attended by Benitez’s wife, Marianne, who is on active duty now with the Navy.
“Coming to PCO was a great blessing,” said Benitez. “It’s been a great inspiration to come here and have such a great role model as Dr. Mittelman.”
As for his part, Dr. Mittelman has watched Benitez navigate his first year in optometry school every step of the way.
“What really inspired me to keep inspiring him was the fact that he was so dedicated to not only his studies but also to becoming a Naval officer,” said Dr. Mittelman. “The fact that his wife is on active duty and he was geographically separated from his family doing these studies shows you the level of commitment that this fine young man has. He is amazing.”
