Kings Point Shutdown?

Yea I knew all that. Thought it was interesting that none of the articles I read could get a response from uscga, and their website doesn’t mention it.

It makes sense though that if all the USCG Civ employees are furloughed as exampled by the RECs being closed, that the CG Academy would be almost completely closed too. I even tried google searching it and found no answers.

I found the shutdown memo on MarAd’s website which indicates that if the shutdown continues past a week, midshipmen and cadets may be sent home…

Also, somewhat unrelated, some RRF vessels may be laid up…

Did this happen the last time?

[QUOTE=LI_Domer;121848]Yea I knew all that. Thought it was interesting that none of the articles I read could get a response from uscga, and their website doesn’t mention it.

It makes sense though that if all the USCG Civ employees are furloughed as exampled by the RECs being closed, that the CG Academy would be almost completely closed too. I even tried google searching it and found no answers.[/QUOTE]

Not all USCG civilians are locked out. Those designated as “essential” have been allowed to continue working.

Training vessels for the schools may be laid up. I’m on one and we were told the 11th we go dead ship pull everything and secure it. We can go home but they aren’t giving flights.

[QUOTE=Sirina21;121861]Training vessels for the schools may be laid up. I’m on one and we were told the 11th we go dead ship pull everything and secure it. We can go home but they aren’t giving flights.[/QUOTE]

Yes, you will be on your own for getting home. What a frigging mess. We have people on leave who are stuck unless they pony up and pay for their own return- but they would be returning to nothing but their stateroom.

If you can’t get home, what are the provisions for housing and food?

I’m not a cadet. I just know what the chief tells me. If we don’t pay for flights and choose to stay they aren’t providing anything for housing or food.

[QUOTE=Sirina21;121871]I’m not a cadet. I just know what the chief tells me. If we don’t pay for flights and choose to stay they aren’t providing anything for housing or food.[/QUOTE]

Oh, you are crew…gotcha. Your situation sucks.

I work for N0AA and at least, some of the ships will continue to cook in the galleys, and liveaboards can stay in their rooms. Comsubs will be paid out for any meals not available. The Chiefs and 1A/Es will work along with N0AA corps and either a Bosun or Lead Fisherman…

I augment and am home right now just cooling my heels. They did provide us with instructions for unemployment insurance, but if this drags on I will check the hall. I may apply to the UNOLS ships in need of reliefs. I am fully qualified to work anywhere.

Some of our augmenters are stuck away from home, so I am grateful I was augmenting on a local vessel. I just cleaned out my room (just a bag of toiletries) and went home.

Good luck to you…

[QUOTE=Jetryder223;121835]JC - I didn’t know you were a KP alumn.

Seems KP is evenly split between ring knockers and grads who despise the place years after leaving. My grandfather is a class of '52 Schyler grad and he definitely is a ring knocker and still keeps in touch with classmates after 60 years. State schools just seem to have happier grads.[/QUOTE]

i’ve never been a ring knocker, but I am obviously an alumni., so why do you phrase it as such?

i’ve certainly never tried to hide it.

[QUOTE=Johnny Canal;121890]i’ve never been a ring knocker, but I am obviously an alumni., so why do you phrase it as such?[/QUOTE]

Cuz you flamed me pretty good a while back when I said something mildly positive about the place.

[QUOTE=z-drive;121830]The few KP kids I’ve sailed with were definitely from well off families. Must have traded favors to get the kids free college.

Not saying its as universal as others do but it is in my experience with the place.[/QUOTE]

fair enough if you have sailed with a few kids from well-off families, but does that make them rich kids with helicopter parents bringing in sushi, etc.?

i started in 1993. i can assure you that at that time there were only a few states where it was truly hard to get into KP as a first time applicant. 1993 was the first year that MS had ever filled all of its slots for all 4 graduating classes. i’m sure there were still other states such as ND, WY, MT, etc. that didn’t even come close. those unfilled slots end up going back to other states that have waiting applicants. competition for nomination by US congressman is toughest in new england and mid atlantic b/c KP is well known there. however, i don’t see KP being a big enough deal to trade favors for nomination or ultimately an offer of appointment.

oh yeah, Z-drive… lay of the “free college” mantra. it’s not correct, never has been.

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[QUOTE=Jetryder223;121891]Cuz you flamed me pretty good a while back when I said something mildly positive about the place.[/QUOTE]

was it your obscure list of US news and world report college rankings of NE colleges?

shouldn’t you be studying for midterms or something?

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy furloughed

[QUOTE=tugboatchief;122025]U.S. Merchant Marine Academy furloughed.[/QUOTE]

Oh such joyous and wonderful news…may the place stay closed now forever.

Will the last plebe leaving the gate please turn off the lights?

[QUOTE=c.captain;122027]Oh such joyous and wonderful news…may the place stay closed now forever.[/QUOTE]

I betcha a dollar that won’t happen.

[QUOTE=Lone_Star;122033]I betcha a dollar that won’t happen.[/QUOTE]

Dammit all the HELL!

Did you guy’s see this? It’s dated Oct. 3

Message on the USMMA Schedule from Admiral Helis

I know I speak for the entire Kings Point community when I express my frustration and disappointment with the current government shutdown and its impact on the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. While all the service academies are being forced to make changes as a result, the impact on the USMMA is the most severe due to the fact that our faculty and staff are nearly all civilians, and therefore subject to the shutdown furloughs that do not impact active duty military personnel.

As a result, the Academy has significantly reduced operations and administrative support programs have ceased. Up until now, we have kept midshipmen on campus in the hopes that the shutdown would be short-lived. This lack of certainty has created tremendous strain on our Midshipmen, their families and the Academy itself.

To provide some certainty to staff, faculty and Midshipmen, we have made the decision to move up our scheduled fall break from its original date of November 1-11 to take place beginning Friday, October 4 and run through Monday, October 14. By “swapping” fall break from November to next week, we can both offer a greater degree of certainty and minimize the disruptive impact the shutdown is having on our academic calendar.

If the shutdown continues through next week and we did not take this step, we would have to cancel fall break altogether to make up the lost academic days. Because the Academy’s academic calendar is nearly year-round, we have only 19 “break” days during the year to make up missed classes.

While we believe this step is helpful, we recognize, and regret, that it still has an impact on Midshipmen, parents, faculty and staff who have made plans for the scheduled November break, and we appreciate the understanding of the faculty union, in accepting this change.

Leadership at the Academy, the Maritime Administration and the Department of Transportation are working on a variety of options to address a longer-term government shutdown, should one occur.

The USMMA is closely monitoring developments during the shutdown, and will keep Midshipmen informed during the break via the academy website and through our Command Duty Office.

Thank you for your patience during this incredibly difficult time.

Updated: Thursday, October 3, 2013

I’m a Kings Point Parent. My son is by no means a legacy, as I came up through the hawse pipe. My wife and I are not wealthy, and we give our son all the latitude he wants to make his own decisions- ie we don’t hover. For the record, his biggest motivation for attending KP was military service. Annapolis was first on his list, but far too competitive for him to make the cut. Funny thing most people don’t know is, KP can be an indirect route into other branches of the armed forces, including the Army. Also for the record, anyone who has know me for the long haul can remember some pretty choice comments I have made over the years about Kings Pointers, but now that I find myself in this peculiar position- I couldn’t be prouder of my kid.

I was scheduled to be off in November so I could spend a little time with son and hear all of his experiences. His fall break was moved up, so here I am on the boat while he’s at home. The failure of our country’s leadership has hit pretty close to home, making me hope American voters will take their country back and vote out all of the incumbent in upcoming elections.

[QUOTE=Sea Opus;122100]I’m a Kings Point Parent. My son is by no means a legacy, as I came up through the hawse pipe. My wife and I are not wealthy, and we give our son all the latitude he wants to make his own decisions- ie we don’t hover. For the record, his biggest motivation for attending KP was military service. Annapolis was first on his list, but far too competitive for him to make the cut. Funny thing most people don’t know is, KP can be an indirect route into other branches of the armed forces, including the Army. Also for the record, anyone who has know me for the long haul can remember some pretty choice comments I have made over the years about Kings Pointers, but now that I find myself in this peculiar position- I couldn’t be prouder of my kid.[/QUOTE]

There it is in a nutshell…as far as I am concerned you just gave away the whole fallacy of KP. It isn’t young men and women who want to be mariners going there but military wannabes who couldn’t make it into one of the military academies yet there are thousands of other young men and women who want to be mariners attending state schools and having to pay their tuition. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AND IT IS WRONG!

You can be proud all you like but you cannot combat the simple logic of my argument.

[QUOTE=c.captain;122107]There it is in a nutshell…as far as I am concerned you just gave away the whole fallacy of KP. It isn’t young men and women who want to be mariners going there but military wannabes who couldn’t make it into one of the military academies yet there are thousands of other young men and women who want to be mariners attending state schools and having to pay their tuition. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AND IT IS WRONG!

You can be proud all you like but you cannot combat the simple logic of my argument.[/QUOTE]

Very true

I however wouldn’t blame it on the “military wannabes”, as they are just taking advantage of a system. Heck, if I couldn’t get into a service academy, why would a try the ROTC route if I got accepted into KP? Being accepted equals a free ride and a commission verses competing for two years at another school for the same thing. That just seems smart to me.

I would also say that there are plenty there who want to be mariners.

With that being said, Kings Point cannot be a true maritime school, and your argument cannot be effectively combated on that term. Does it offer equivalent STCW training like all the other academies? Yes. But is any academy truly only a maritime school? No. Every academy offers other options as well, such as marine biology, master programs, military programs and the like, that don’t offer a license. So I would go out and say no “maritime academy” fits that criteria.

The fact that this is tax payer funded, and titled as the United States Merchant Marine Academy however does make the current program seem wrong and unjustified.

[QUOTE=“c.captain;122107”]

There it is in a nutshell…as far as I am concerned you just gave away the whole fallacy of KP. It isn’t young men and women who want to be mariners going there but military wannabes who couldn’t make it into one of the military academies yet there are thousands of other young men and women who want to be mariners attending state schools and having to pay their tuition. THIS SHOULD NOT BE AND IT IS WRONG!

You can be proud all you like but you cannot combat the simple logic of my argument.[/QUOTE]

I believe that most of the State maritime grads have the same military career options that KP grads have. It would be interesting to see what % of grads go active duty from each of the academies.

[QUOTE=fullbell;122112]I believe that most of the State maritime grads have the same military career options that KP grads have. It would be interesting to see what % of grads go active duty from each of the academies.[/QUOTE]

Not necessarily true. ROTC programs for all branches aren’t available at all the state schools and cross commissioning from a ROTC program is difficult if not impossible. Generally about 1/3 of KP graduates go active duty. For SUNY I believe it’s usually about 10%. Not sure about the other state schools.