Impassioned Call for saving the Merchant Marine

Professional Mariner Forum
102

Dear Captain Konrad,

In response to gCaptain’s Impassioned Call For Change

The United States Merchant Marine has been in decline for decades.
In fact, this is the third time in history that America has allowed its Merchant Marine to deteriorate.

Many factors are at play. One of the major issues is: the Merchant Marine is invisible to the American People.
With virtually no “Public” support, it is difficult to gain any traction in Congress to fund any solution.
i.e. “The American Ship Building Act”.

Admiral Buzby, The American Maritime Partnership, A handful of people, including yourself, have been sounding the alarm for some time, employing the current strategy. May I suggest a change in strategy?

The Maritime Industry needs a rally point, where a historic understanding of the situation it provided,
In order to inspire the Maritime Industry, itself, while also reaching out to the Navy and the American people.

The Maritime Industry needs a major marketing effort…a “Merchant Marine poster child” to explain the industry’s relevance, today.

The challenge is to write the script and get it funded, post Covid, where there is no money. The Maritime Industry desperately needs such a film, now.

Fortunately, understanding this exact issue, in 1987, I produced the documentary film “The Last Liberty” to explain the importance of the Merchant Marine.

However, 30 years later, in 2019, I produced a sequel called “Lessons of the Last Liberty”, to provide an historical context for current events, to bring all Americans together. Without such an historic understanding of the situation, there is no way the American People will fund the rebuilding of the fleet.

However, with the understanding that this is not the first time with have allowed the Merchant Marine, a positive outcome is possible.

Please watch the film. https://www.thelastliberty.com/the-film We can then discuss how to bring this message to the American People……using every possible platform.

Robert Ferrand
Producer, Writer, Director

1 Like
103

Yes, Isn’t that exactly what I said when I wrote that you guys “don’t think like that. They think of the small highly concentrated battles between capital warships.”?

I don’t like to rail against the Zumwalts. I don’t like anything about the Zumwalts (except Elmo himself). I don’t like writing about them, I don’t like the look of them, I don’t like paying for them.

True, it’s getting better, that is if they can stay on budget and don’t make a ton of design changes after they start cutting steel. (which is a BIG if)

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Here is the plan for a “future naval force” as seen by Mark Esber:
https://www.naval-technology.com/news/us-defence-secretary-outlines-plans-for-future-naval-force/#:~:text=US%20Secretary%20of%20Defence%20Mark,355%20manned%20and%20unmanned%20ships.

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You framed it as a negative when taken in context, stating (without merit) that “the Admirals” want to build more $8B ships and fewer inexpensive ones, and that we’re just looking to land cushy defense contractor jobs.

Then stop! It sounds a lot like crying over spilled milk. The R&D and acquisition costs of the Zumwalts are (mostly) paid for. Was it a bad purchase? Yeah. But we can’t really return them either. We’re trying to make lemonade with our lemons.

I’m hopeful too, but fiddling with the design mid-construction is a naval tradition that dates back to at least the Civil War and the successors to Monitor. One of our better decisions was to use standardized designs during WWII that were good enough, but not chasing perfection. Of course FDR was a Navy man and overrode his admirals from time to time.

106

Stop picking lemons.

2 Likes
107

Oh yes and you wanted a source. My source is Chuck Spinney and Peirre Sprey, both leaders of the Military Reform Movement (alongside John Boyd) of the early eighties.

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You can look up their videos and papers but here’s a start.

fast forward to 1:23 (he nails the Admirals at 1:24:15) on this video: https://youtu.be/GCkEFqIKeao

More from Spinney:

Spey:

The flag officer corruption and need for “bigger, faster, higher” planes (and ships) is detailed in his biography: Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0316796883/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sAsAFbHRKS284

Ok I’ll stop if someone stands up and gives the public a heart felt apology after investigating the real reason for the crazy cost overruns and after canceling the F/A-XX Hornet replacement program which the pilots don’t want.

Also… no, it’s not “almost paid for”. It hasn’t been “paid for” at all. It was purchased with government bonds which we will be paying out interest on for years before they are due. And even if we had paid in cash, as Spinney points out in the second video the costs ramp up crazy at the end of then program so we need to drag that F’n last one out of shipyard now and sink the MF’r… not shug our shoulders, say it’s “better than nothing”, and wait for the final bill to arrive. But of course you don’t have any salvage tugs left so I don’t know how you would even be able to drag that thing out?

Since you don’t have a salvage tug and the MSC mariners you gave your old ones too are WAY more pissed at the navy right now than I ever have been… I’d also be up for burning all three at the dock but, of course, considering they cost $23B they probably are built with megabuxite or some other expensive shit that burns money… and then all your other big $ ships would burn too and we’d all be screwed because you do not have a single fireboat to extinguish the fire with.

1 Like
108

Was just thinking about Boyd as I was reading these comments. Sharp fellow and a great story.

109

If only there was a federal administration whose job it is to advocate for the merchant marine

6 Likes
110

Hello.
Sorry if this is going to sound like another suggestion you don’t need but:

Why don’t you start a GoFundMe page or start a petition on Change dot org?
Or start a registered charity or something like that?
There’s some kids (and grown-ups too) with videos on YouTube giving good advice on where to start if funding is your problem.
Could be that some bored sailors who are stuck at home can help you with this.
A book that may help you is “The End Of Impossible” by Allan Savory and Andrew Fynn.

Have a great day.

111

Why don’t you start one and then we can promote it?

That’s the issue, we are already overworked and understaffed just trying to get the news out. Doing a campaign effectively like that is a full time job.

And… have you done a gofundme page? I’ve done two. Once you get above the level of money that would make a difference then their lawyers call and check the story and look for conflicting interest. They would have to go through every post and article I’ve made and question us about it.

It’s very difficult for for-profit companies (like gCaptain) to raise funds that way but it’s simple for individuals (like you) to do so.

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That would make the US competitive at the level of the Asian countries who exploit labor.

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Hello, thanks for the reply.

That’s an idea. :slight_smile:
No, I have never done a gofundme page but perhaps you can find some college tech savvy American Citizen with a love for the Merchant Marine who would love the experience on the resume, working as an intern or a student at GCaptain. (edit: sorry, you said they can’t be attached to your company).
Sounds better than attending online classes learning theory but not learning much in the way of practice.
If you think it’s doable, I’m sure you already know of someone that can do the job, who has the energy to follow through. It’s a matter of weighing the pros and cons.
What would be the statement of purpose for this GoFundMe initiative?