I just captured this screenshot from the USMMA.edu main page.
Note the juxtaposition: A commercial ship; two female midshipmen obviously thrilled to be assigned to such a ship; and the caption, “The World is Our Campus.”
Tell that to the approximately 20 A-split midshipmen who reported aboard the Mass Maritime training ship T/V Kennedy after sitting at home for the first 64 days of their “sea year” without a single training day. And from what I hear, there are still others sitting at home without a single training day this year.
UPDATE: I had been saving these screenshots for the proper occasion, and this seems like a good one. I captured these screenshots on the USMMA.edu website back on July 21, 2016. The photo was on the main page and linked to the news item on the communications page. The idea that the T/S Golden Bear would be featured on KP’s website beggars belief.
Of course, I couldn’t let that photo go without adding some editorial content (with a hat tip to my classmate who hired the “Save KP, Fire Engel” airplane to fly over graduation back in 1981):
An update from the 2013 graduation:
You are 100% correct. My Mids friends are among both groups you mention. A BOV Senator’s office told a contact 4 weeks ago that all were out to sea. Either the BOV member is lying, or is being lied to by Helis et al. #HelisLiedAndSeaYearDied
Someone is passing lies to the BOV or that BOV Senator is covering for someone. Today, January 5, 2017, some 65 days after classes have ended for the A splits and they were to await sea assignments there are still a significant number of 2019 A splits at the Academy and my daughter class of 2018A. This does not account for those that may be at home or working an internship because the Academy is unable to place the midshipmen on vessels, active or inactive.
Maybe that classmate needs to hire that airplane again, with an updated banner… history seems to repeat itself…
Andy:
As my son graduated in 2012, I’m pretty sure the two female mids pictured are two of his 2012 Classmates. And who knew “the good old days” were back in the 80’s when we used to wait under that same sign in Vickery Gate the said “The World Is Our Campus” and mutter to each other “yeah but we can’t leave campus for dinner liberty till 16:42.” I just hope once we get a new administration it comes with new leadership at MARAD and USMMA and “#MAGA” includes restoring sea year aboard FULLY including aboard commercial vessels.
The Academy’s web site still claims the accreditation report addressed “two broad areas separate from academics: combatting sexual harassment and assault, particularly during Sea Year; and governance of the USMMA.” This bogus sea year claim was brought to the attention of the public affairs officer some months ago. No action at all to date.
Technically, not false advertising, but rather lying.
Also, the Marad award winning sexual assault coordinator has resigned, but is still listed.
[Moderator Note: I edited this comment slightly to make it less likely that the midshipman could be identified. I did not change the post substantively.]
My daughter is a class of 2018 A split. Her 1st quarter classes ended October 29, 2016. She was assigned to an ROS ship in early November 2016 and spent 30 days at the dock (she is deck and needs navigation). She has been home without a ship since early December 2016. So, she has lost more than 3 weeks of time and has had 1 day of sea time since October 29. SHE IS NOT AT SEA….
I am 2007 alum. The woman on the right was one of my upperclassman in Band co (Class of 2006).
That’s her younger sister.