News
See below for the latest stories on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and its midshipmen.
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.
80th Anniversary of USMMA Founding: As Crucial Now As It Was Then
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.
We have 80 ships, the Chinese have over 5,500
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.
USMMA … Needed Now More Than Ever
To mark Maritime Day 2023, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AAF) examined the logistics challenges and sealift requirements of a trans-Pacific sealift. Please click here to watch the video…
Another Day, Another Warning: America’s Alarming Maritime Deficit
More and more experts are sounding the alarm about America’s readiness and ability to fight a major war with China. The U.S. Merchant Marine and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy are responsible to train the militarily obligated Merchant Marine officers who will command these vessels in times of war…
No Contest: China’s vast, ever-growing maritime capacity
Without a strong and sustainable fully-crewed merchant fleet, America will be unable to prevail in a protracted conflict with China…
Is our military sealift ready?
Americans not familiar with wartime logistics usually assume the Navy is responsible for moving troops, supplies, armaments, fuel, and everything else needed to fight a protracted conflict. But that is the job of the U.S. Merchant Marine fleet and the military service-committed Merchant Marine officers…
USMMA Key Component in Addressing Maritime Security Challenges
As America readies itself for unprecedented challenges from the likes of China, we need to remember its not all about hardware. We need the right people with the right training, who are ready, able, and willing to serve their country. For military sealift, that’s where the USMMA comes in…