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Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro visited the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) to attend the sponsor naming ceremony for the USS Long Island, the nation’s next nuclear-powered Virginia-Class submarine. While there, he set aside time to address USMMA Midshipmen because he understands the value of service obligated merchant marine officers to our Nation’s maritime strength and national defense. Some highlights of his speech follow.

“This institution is unique among the Federal Service Academies in that only Kings Point sends its students—not just its graduates, but its students—directly into combat zones. This nation emerged victorious from the Second World War because of the selfless service and sacrifice of the 142 Kings Point cadet-midshipmen—alongside the over ninety-five hundred Merchant Mariners lost in combat at sea. Not enough people know that Merchant Mariners suffered a higher casualty rate than any other military service. I know a number of the Midshipmen here today did their Sea Year on MSC Ships or U.S. flag merchant vessels engaged in combat in the Red Sea over the past year, carrying on the proud tradition of Kings Pointers sailing into harm’s way. As our future Merchant Mariners, the training you receive here at Kings Point will equip you to project America’s decisive power around the world.”

“Above all, we need Merchant Mariners—to crew both the U.S. flag merchant marine that we are working to grow, and our Navy’s crucial Military Sealift Command. We will be celebrating Military Sealift Command’s 75th birthday on Tuesday. As Secretary of the Navy, I cannot emphasize enough the support MSC provides to our uniformed Sailors and Marines. It is MSC’s vital work and logistical prowess which enables our Navy to project decisive power around the world in peace, crisis, and war. When our Sailors and Marines take our warships into combat, our MSC Merchant Mariners are right there with them, bringing the ’beans, bullets, and black oil‘ they need to stay on station until the fight is won.”

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is the key source for the human capital required to operate those vessels. Founded in 1943 to provide the qualified, federally obligated merchant marine officers who execute the sealift aboard merchant vessels and Military Sealift Command ships, USMMA currently supplies 80 percent of the officers in the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Sealift Officer (SSO) Force.

It cannot be said too often: we cannot win a war without a viable military sealift. And we do not have a viable sealift without the militarily obligated merchant marine officers produced by the USMMA. The infrastructure required to provide USMMA Midshipmen the specialized education and training they need to fulfill their mission has been ignored for decades. It is long past time for the USMMA campus to be made worthy of their commitment to serve our nation. The Alumni Association & Foundation believes it is imperative that the Full Speed Ahead Plan, which has bipartisan support, be authorized and year one funded by Congress within the FY 2025 NDAA or by passing H.R. 8498, introduced by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY).