USMC through USMMA

Colleges & Universities United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA)
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<p>kemp7, Kings Point is a maritime school before anything else. Yes, you can enter the Corps and go through OCS. I’m sure like everywhere else Kings Point produces good, bad, and ugly officers. The thing is that you will be spending the majority of your time studying to be a maritime officer. Academics at Kings Point, especially for engineers, are rigorous and you have to really want to get through to have a chance at success.</p>

<p>I have had multiple friends at KP who came to the school wanting to go into the military and that had no real interest in the maritime industry. Some of these people have left the school, others have stayed. If you have no interest in the maritime industry you will never really find a home at KP. You’re going to spend almost an entire year aboard a commercial ship; and, regardless of the major you pick, will be studying to become either a marine engineer or ship’s officer. There is ongoing debate at KP about the direction the school is taking in regards to becoming more military focused. I believe that this only hurts the school. People who come to the school wanting to join the military are disgruntled to find that it is not entirely about the military. People, like myself, who come to the school for the maritime industry are disgruntled because there is too much of a focus on the military. </p>

<p>Coming to Kings Point as an alternative the Naval Academy to be a SWO or something similar is one thing. I actually think Kings Point produces better SWO’s than Annapolis because we have actual experience at sea and posses merchant marine officer’s licenses when we graduate. Our majors are focused around ships and sailing whereas at Annapolis people can major in Political Science and the like. Kings Point midshipman also have a place in the Coast Guard, as much of the Coast Guard’s mission is maritime related and it is important for Coast Guard Officers to have an understanding of maritime operations, as Kings Pointers have. For all other cases, however, you are short changing yourself coming to Kings Point if your only goal is to be an officer in the Air Force/Army/Marine Corps. Why should a prospective Army or Air Force or Marine Corps officer spend four years studying to be a merchant marine officer? It doesn’t make much sense. It can be and has been done, but it is definitely not the best way.</p>

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<p>I have seen people come to KP deadset on becoming a Marine, and after a year or two here, want to sail. I have seen people come to KP who want to sail and after a year two, want to go active duty.</p>

<p>I know people who want to do both, and end up doing SRR instead of IRR. I know people who will sail and in their off time work on on Army tugs as a Warrant Officer.</p>

<p>Coming to KP and experiencing what you experience is an opportunity few have, and it often changes the way people look at life.</p>

<p>I came to KP with a vague idea of what I wanted and during my time here have experienced more than most of my friends, have seen both the military and civilian side of the world and am still making up my mind on what I want to do.</p>

<p>I would suggest KP to anyone over any other Academy purely because of the options you get when you come out. No other school can offer that.</p>

<p>As KingsPoint2010 said, you have two types of people here, those who want to sail and those who want to serve, both having an equal amount of weight in the way the school is run and both seeing the other side as bringing the school down. It is one of the benefits of the school as it is one of the downfalls, a broad spectrum of people all put together with the same goal of getting out.</p>

<p>Anyone coming here should be prepared for both the culture shock and the tension between the cultures, but it will give them a balanced view of life both here and in the real world.</p>