Bill0510

You are not "under appreciated." In fact, you will be appreciated in the form of BIG DOLLARS when you graduate. This hardly qualifies as "serving the nation." [Yes, you may serve a port in Iraq that is technically in a battle zone, but, in that regard, you are no different than a KBR contractor who is being paid six times what a soldier is being paid to perform a similar function. You will be paid well to master--well, not technicallyh master since that is the capt's job-- that ship into a harbor.]


For at least one-half of MMA graduates, [the ones who take employment with private shipping companies] this is VERY different than graduates from other service academies, who will make ab out 30,000 at graduation. For the one-third [approx guess] of MMA who elect to serve active duty, you will be appreciated for "serving your country." [When you write to lambaste the post, remember that I am acknowledgeing w/ great gratitude that a significant number of graduates elect to serve active duty.]

For the others, get over it. You have received a relatively free education that sets you up for a great job. [And I think serving in the reserves does not compare exactly to being active duty in terms of hardships.]

While at school, you are not serving anybody; in fact, you are a sponge, living off the fat of the land. [How much tuition did you pay last year?]

So, for you to sit and write a message that implies others should bestow gratitude and/or recognition upon you comparable to that given to others who attend service academies, well, it just doesn't read right.

The MMA is somewhat adrift in terms of mission.
The U.S. marine industry [the seagoing component at least, not the dockside component] is virtually non-existent. MMA could probably disappear tomorrow and the domestic industry wouldn't even notice. Allocate budget to the other maritime academies and the industry would not notice. Allocate budget and numerical strength based on number of graduates who go active duty to the other to the other Academis and the armed forces wouldn't notice either.

Is that going to happen? No. So, be happy the MMA continues to chug along and that you will be able to cliaim graduation from there. THEN, when you get your big time maritime-related job, making six figures, come back and tell us how much you are suffering.

Good luck.