<p>Today I found out that I received a nomination to the Merchant Marine Academy as well as an appointment. Yet, it has been a dream of mine to go to the Naval Academy ever since I was a little kid. Point blank, I want to become a Naval Officer. I am not sure what to do. Would I be able to go to the Merchant Marine Academy for a year and then re-apply for the Naval Academy again? My goal is to become the best Naval Officer that I can be (SWO preferably) would the Merchant Marine Academy make me into a great Naval Officer too, if not better than USNA?</p>
<p>Either school will suffice for you to become a SWO in the Navy so that part is not an issue. Yes, you may certainly re-apply to the USNA next year while a MIDN at the USMMA. You’ll have to start over again, as a plebe, but if that’s what you want, then by all means you may. But as a point of note, the last MOH recipient who was a Navy Seal, Michael Murphy, attended the Navy Seal course at, USMMA.</p>
<p>To answer your question, the school is not what makes you the best Naval Officer you can be, that is solely your task.</p>
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<p>FYI - </p>
<p>Michael Murphy was the last MOH recipient (2007) who was a Navy Seal Officer.</p>
<p>MA2 Michael Monsoor was the last MOH recipient (2008) who was a Navy SEAL.</p>
<p>usna333: Graduates from USMMA recieve 3 things: a BS Degree in one od six major courses of study; a USCG Merchant Mariniers Liscence as either a Third Mate or Third Assistant Engineer; and a Commission as an O-1, generally, an Ensign in the USNR. They can and generally 30% then do go active duty. Kings Point graduates also have the ability to apply and if accepted enter the Army, Airforce, Coast Guard, Marines and/or NOAA Officer Corps. The “normal” course and the majority become Ensigns in the USNR though.</p>
<p>The course of study at Kings Point includes 3 years on campus and 1 year at sea on US Flagged Merchant Ships. The way that works is USMMA is on an 11 month Academic Year consisting of 3, 14 week trimesters. They spend their entire first (plebe year) on campus. Following completions of plebe year, a class is split into two halves “A” & “B” split. Upon graduation of the first (senior) class “B” split third classman go to sea from June through the end of first trimester (usually the first week of November); they then return to KP for the Second Trimester (November - March). After that, they return to sea for 8 months (March through November) and then return to campus for the last two trimesters of their second class (junior) year. The entire class then is reunited and completes their first class year together.</p>
<p>Many who go active duty navy find the sea year experience very valuable to the furtherment of the careers as naval officers. Recently, more and more recognition is acknowledged of the value the depth of knowledge Kings Pointers have in vessel operation, maintenance, and nautical science for their shipboard assignments and many SWO shoreside billets. Presently there are at least two active duty Flag Officers who are Kings Point graduates, both were/are SWOs, both have also continued to maintain and upgrade their USCG Merchant Marinier Liscences as well and are currently USCG Liscened Masters of Steam or Motor Vessels of Unlimited Tonnage, Upon Oceans, as well.</p>
<p>Of course, the USNA is the nation’s service academy whose primary mission is to provide US Naval Officers, and it is not “the nation’s best kept secret” so it’s merits don’t need to be explained for your quest.</p>
<p>LT Murphey, a native of Patchogue, Long Island attended Seal Mentoring courses at the USMMA following his graduation from Penn State University in 1998. He did not attend USMMA as a midshipman, nor did he graduate from KP. Following those mentoring sessions he set out to become a SEAL. He did so by graduating OCS in Pensacola in September 2000, whereupon he began Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training in Coronado, Calif., in January 2001, graduating with Class 236. BUD/S is a six-month training course and the first step to becoming a Navy SEAL.</p>
<p>Upon graduation from BUD/S, he attended the Army Jump School, SEAL Qualification Training and SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) school. Lt. Murphy earned his SEAL Trident and checked on board SDV Team (SDVT) 1 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in July of 2002. In October of 2002, he deployed with Foxtrot Platoon to Jordan as the liaison officer for Exercise Early Victor.</p>
<p>LT Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor, posthumously in 2007 for action that occured on June 28, 2005, in Afghanistan is support of Operation Enduring Freedom. For those interested in the full details of his heroism, his full offical biography and MOH account can be found at: [url=<a href=“http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/bio.html]soa.htm[/url”>http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/bio.html]soa.htm[/url</a>]</p>
<p>If your career ambition is to become a SWO then I would recommend going to USMMA. This school will prepare you better than any other school in the country for driving ships. Also the problem once senior year comes around is what course to take in your career path…your not limited to one service. The opportunities are literally endless. USMMA might not have the glamor of USNA but it certainly gives you better options and I would say if you want to go Navy gives you a better reputation in the fleet. Your an Ensign with experience sailing…not a new Ensign who’s only experience sailing is his 2 week cruise.</p>
<p>Oliver is a SWO and he went to Kings Point and has had Command…he can also think of at least a dozen O6 (Captain, USN) SWOs who graduated from Kings Point…</p>
<p>Oh, and did I mention that Oliver is the greatest naval officer to grace the deck of a warship since John Paul Jones??</p>
<p>^^^^
Not necessary for Oliver to mention. It is a well known fact.</p>
<p>I have read the posts and feel like this is a viable option for him. like another post, my son is favoring the USNA but has not heard from them yet. It seems like the educational opportunities are similar and that there may be even more option after graduation as to what branch to join or to not join at all, but, to get commissioned right away onto a ship and be apart of the Navy as a reserve officer. This new to me, as I have looked more into the USNA than I have the USMMA. My son is stoked and if not appointed to USNA would most likely attend.</p>
<p>msipes, it makes me sad to here parents say things that you said in your post…“My son is stoked and if not appointed to USNA would most likely attend.”</p>
<p>KP is NOT a fall back school for those who do not get into USNA. KP is a first rate education with a course load that would make even Einstein faint at heart. If your son is thinking about KP only if he does not get in USNA then you better have him take a look at his priorities, because from what I’ve seen unless KP is your son’s desire, he will never make it past plebe year. </p>
<p>There are so many high school seniors who want to attend KP but get turned away because some kids accept their appointment to KP as a fall back,taking away a valuable slot from those who really want to attend KP.</p>
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<p>Not a well thought out statement. You know you do deserve a lot of grief for it.</p>
<p>For someone who wants to be a Naval Officer, especially a SWO, USMMA is a viable choice.</p>
<p>suzannegra is right in a lot of respects. USMMA is not a fallback school. It is said that it is easier to get into than the other academies HOWEVER it is the hardest of the academies to actually make it through. I believe there was even a Harvard student who dropped out to attend USMMA who said that it was harder academically than Harvard. Bottom line is you have to have your heart in this place to make it through. Do not go in expecting it to be like USNA, you will be let down. KP is in a league all its own that will challenge even the toughest minds. It is a challenge worth pursuing.</p>
<p>KP was a fall back school for me. When I did not get into USNA I went to USMMA. I had a great experience, graduated, and am now a “wanna-be” SWO in the Navy working towards earning my pin. Chances are your mind will change 100 times before you graduate from any school on what you want to do afterwards. However, if you want to be a SWO and attend KP, take the Shopper program. Or at least take a deckie major. A major portion of becoming a SWO is first qualifying as the Officer of the Deck (or a 3rd Mate in the Merchant Marine). I was an engineer and am now learning my Rules of the Road. That said, the Shopper program also gives you a good baseline knowledge of shipboard engineering which will help one attain their Engineering Officer of the Watch (the 3rd A/E equivalent). I am hoping to qualify as the EOOW at a much faster pace than my counterparts onboard because of my education from KP. Attending KP alone helps out in so many regards, both on the bridge and in the plant. Sea year is an invaluable experience because you learn the meaning of a long day, what it’s like to be at sea for a long period of time, and just general shipboard knowledge. All 3 of those items pay dividends in the SWO world. I would not say I am way better than my ROTC/OCS ENS counterparts on the ship, they are fast learners and all bright. However, my KP degree has really helped me out personally in my path to becoming a SWO.</p>
<p>Davygravy3: What is the Shopper program? Everybody else thank you for your input it is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>I think the following link may help:</p>
<p>[United</a> States Merchant Marine Academy](<a href=“http://www.usmma.edu/academics/curriculum/marineoperationsnadtechnology.htm]United”>http://www.usmma.edu/academics/curriculum/marineoperationsnadtechnology.htm)</p>
<p>The link mentioned by aglages is helpful. Unfortunately there is no dual major program anymore (where you would get both a 3rd mate and 3rd a/e license)…that would be the ultimate for a wannabe SWO. The Shopper program will give you the 3rd mates license (big for SWO stuff) and an understanding a shipboard propulsion plant…plus some time actually in the engineroom. It would be very beneficial to you in the Navy.</p>
<p>I want to thank “Davygravy” for his comments and thoughts on KP. When I first heard my son was appointed we weren’t as informed on the options and culture of USMMA. I think “suzzannegra” was a little defensive in her initial response. My son has identified the USNA as a direction at the age of 13. Since attending Academy nights throughout his high school years he has learned more about all 5 Academies. When applying and interviewing for his Congressional nomination he had listed the USNA as first choice and USMMA as 2nd, West Point as 3rd. In the last week we have researched and spoken with people that are more aware of the advantages of KP and are thrilled that he has selected KP as an option. This is a huge commitment for any young man/woman and when making these decisions it is definitely important to have a back up option, and sometimes that back up position can turnout to be the best, time will tell. Both Academies will prepare their Midshipmen for a wonderful future with lots options, My son is excited and so are we.</p>
<p>USMMA should not be considered a fall back school. Many cnadidates who wanted USNA from the time they were little may have never heard of USMMA. That being said there are students at USMMA who were accpeted into other academies and made USMMA their first choice. My DS was one of them. USMMA will give your DS many options upon graduation. I know of graduates that are going Air Force, Coast Guard my DS was thinking about SWO and now is rethinking SeaBees but who knows. No other Service Academy can offer that choice.</p>
<p>The “Shopper” Program is the USMMA slang expression for the Maritime Operations and Technology major - Per the USMMA catlog its a marine transportation program enhanced with marine engineering studies. Upon graduation and successful as a “shopper” you have your USCG Third Mate, Any Tonnage Upon Oceans Liscence, as well as an endorsement as a “Qualified Member of the Engineering Department” QMED on you merchant mariniers document, which is the highest endorsement for unliscenced personnel in the engine department. </p>
<p>Of course you also have your BS degree, and your Commision as an Ensign, USNR, assuming you haven’t petitioned to change and commission in a different service.</p>
<p>When you take the “Shopper” program you also spend ~90 days of your 300+ days sea time as an engine cadet, so as noted, you are familiar with the conduct of operations both on deck as well as in the engineering spaces of merchant ships.</p>