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Slowly but surely, the nation is beginning to recognize that our military sealift is not prepared for an all-out war, be it with China or another major adversary. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported on the unprecedented strides China is making in its quest to dominate the seas, in large part by bolstering its merchant fleet, which can be mobilized immediately for military logistical use – a crucial reminder that we need to address this issue before it is too late.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office is the latest organization to call out the deteriorating infrastructure at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.  In a jarring report issued on Aug. 6, the GAO pointed to “inadequate and outdated facilities that have been poorly maintained. These facilities exhibit crumbling facades, leaking pipes, and water damage.”

Fifty years ago next week, the first class of women began their education at a federal service academy. It was the lesser-known U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) that broke this glass ceiling, and on July 5, Wall Street commemorated this historic moment for the nation.

On June 22, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), one of our nation’s five federal service academies, graduated 214 newly licensed, militarily obligated Merchant Marine Officers, each of whom matriculated at the USMMA upon receiving a congressional nomination.

Recently, the respected Yorktown Institute issued a white paper that outlines the numerous weaknesses in our military sealift and provides a roadmap for Congress and the executive branch to consider in order to rebuild our fleet and address the shortage of mariners.

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. 

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.” 

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.

USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation President & CEO Jim Tobin filmed this short video in which he shared his thoughts on the Academy’s role in protecting our nation since its founding eighty years ago this week. According to Capt. Tobin, an even more important mission awaits the USMMA tomorrow, as the nation simply cannot win future wars without a strong Merchant Marine – or the service-obligated mariners produced by the USMMA.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) asked for – and received – Gen. Brown’s commitment to advance policies that will remedy the nation’s failure to invest in the U.S. Merchant Marine as well as its primary source of militarily obligated mariners: the United States Merchant Marine Academy.