We are the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy, one of the five federal service academies, educates and graduates leaders who are committed to serving American national security and critical economic interests. As licensed Merchant Marine Officers and commissioned officers in the Armed Forces, graduates of the academy are essential for securing the country’s commerce in peacetime and delivering our warfighters, weapons, and military supplies during conflict. Due to their elite training and real-world experience, graduates are ready to go on day one in service of American military strength and economic power.
The Facts
For 80 years, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy has prepared leaders of exemplary character, skill and commitment to serve America’s marine transportation and defense needs in peace and war.
Recent Developments
Current score: China 5500, US 80
In his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month, the nominee for Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, confirmed that the current state of the U.S. Merchant Marine is a strategic weakness in any potential conflict with China.
China’s Global Maritime Leap Over America
A new article in The Washington Post lays bare China’s pursuit of maritime superiority in the Pacific and elsewhere. Quoting a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the article convincingly posits that “China is now the world’s premier commercial maritime power, and its strategic hold over the world’s supply routes could be used to interdict or restrict U.S. trade, troop movements and freedom of navigation in a range of different ways.”
Another Important Voice On Our Woefully Weak Sealift
Nationally syndicated columnist George F. Will is the latest to weigh in on the alarming lack of readiness of the U.S. Navy and the nation’s moribund shipbuilding capacity in his latest opinion piece.