# New MARAD Administrator (nominee) **URL:** \ **Category:** Maritime News\ **Created:** [March 25, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210 "2025-03-25T22:24:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 10:24pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/1 "2025-03-25T22:24:51Z")
> Not stoked to have a submariner from the Heritage Foundation (project 2025) leading a fleet of surface ships manned by civilians. I’m all for hoping things will change, but I don’t love the nominee. ---
**Author:** ![Meme.Lord](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/meme.lord/32/29401_2.png) [@Meme.Lord](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Meme.Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 11:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/2 "2025-03-25T23:26:38Z")
I don’t think it’s a bad pick, and I’m not even mad that it’s not a mariner at the top spot. It’s better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war I suppose. I ran out of Chat GPT deep research for the month, [so I had to ask Elon Musk’s Grok his opinion on the matter](https://grok.com/share/bGVnYWN5_f1dd90c7-f8dd-47ff-b15c-9ea035064387). All things considered, despite heritage foundation ties, he at has been talking about all the right things, and I think he’ll do a fine job if approved. I don’t disagree with anything he said here: > **[5 Key Steps Congress Must Take to Revitalize U.S. Maritime Strength](https://nationalsecurityjournal.org/5-key-steps-congress-must-take-to-revitalize-u-s-maritime-strength/)** > > Our nation’s maritime strength has been ebbing for years, but few policymakers have taken notice let alone real action – until now. More and more members of Congress are speaking up, with many determined to fix what has turned into a national... The Jones act may get in the way of the administration’s ambitions, but I optimistically, and naively believe that they may put something better in place if there are changes to be made. ---
**Author:** ![2GENUSMM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/bc8723/32.png) [@2GENUSMM](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/2GENUSMM)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/3 "2025-03-26T00:00:21Z")
The alternate definition of insanity “is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”… Yet another high ranking Naval Officer with NO experience in the Commercial Merchant Marine is being hawked as a nominee. Mariner? What kind of Mariner? Submariner- Yes. Merchant Mariner- Not. What about Commercial Merchant Marine Business Practices? Has this individual ever stepped foot aboard a U.S. Flag Merchant Ship? No the ineffectual leadership within MARAD and MSC (yes these were also high ranking Naval Officers who retired and then _attempted_ to shape maritime policy for the better. Look at the sad state of affairs that those organizations are in today. Then there’s the obvious disdain for the Jones Act, the membership in the Heritage Foundation which has openly and continually attempted to further their goals of destroying the Jones Act and thus all of the US Flag shipping that goes with it… No, no more retired Admirals, no more DEI selectees- let’s get some top flight US Commercial Shipping Executives in there and start charting the right course. ---
**Author:** ![Meme.Lord](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/meme.lord/32/29401_2.png) [@Meme.Lord](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Meme.Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/4 "2025-03-26T00:24:13Z")
> [@2GENUSMM](#): > > No, no more retired Admirals, no more DEI selectees- let’s get some top flight US Commercial Shipping Executives in there and start charting the right course. The man has two masters degrees, and graduated from USNA with honors, and is a prolific writer and leader, Who the hell would the industry put forward in this type of role? [John Konrad who can’t even proofread his own articles?](https://gcaptain.com/trump-appoints-top-naval-strategist-brent-sadler-to-marad/#:~:text=(the%20think%20take%20behind%20Project%202025%20but%20also%20several%20maritime%20initiatives)). What commercial shipping executives have a maritime background? See if Robert Kiyosaki could do a better job? The CEO of OSG has a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese Language and Literature, that’s what you think would do a better job? Or are you thinking more like just put it up on the union Job board and let the most senior person from AMO, MMP, MEBA and SIU duke it out? I think it’s easier to take someone with an deep understanding of military logistics and let them research maritime policy, than taking someone from a shipping company’s boardroom and hoping they can learn military logistics. ---
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 12:50am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/5 "2025-03-26T00:50:18Z")
I agree with both what you’ve said and to some extent @2GENUSMM I think there is for sure a middle ground where you can find someone who’s sailed in the USMM in _some_ capacity and have served in the USN to have both backgrounds. Would it be a unicorn? Sure, but they exist. There are SSO 06’s who have worked the commercial sector in their day jobs. Finding the person who values the National security aspect of the JA and understands MSC/MARAD and their value to the war fighter is the right guy. I’m not sold that a submariner has any hands on experience with MSC aside from watching the crew from the Frank Cable drive home at 4 pm in Guam every day. > [@2GENUSMM](#): > > No, no more retired Admirals, no more DEI selectees- let’s get some top flight US Commercial Shipping Executives in there and start charting the right course. This is the worst route possible. High rank commercial shipping execs want to protect their money, and the Jones Act isn’t helping them do it. I think I’ve mentioned it before but I met a ship owner once who said “it’s nothing personal, but if the JA ever gets repealed I’m taking all you guys off the ship that day” > [@Meme.Lord](#): > > The man has two masters degrees, and graduated from USNA with honors, and is a prolific writer and leader, Who the hell would the industry put forward in this type of role? [John Konrad who can’t even proofread his own articles?](https://gcaptain.com/trump-appoints-top-naval-strategist-brent-sadler-to-marad/#:~:text=(the%20think%20take%20behind%20Project%202025%20but%20also%20several%20maritime%20initiatives)). JK put himself forward one year in a hilarious article based on nothing but his want for the role. ---
**Author:** ![2GENUSMM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/bc8723/32.png) [@2GENUSMM](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/2GENUSMM)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/6 "2025-03-26T00:52:21Z")
Keep the Merchant Marine and Navy as two separate entities. We were in a very similar place prior to WWII. In 1937 through 1939 extensive attention was paid to the U.S. Flag Merchant Marine; shipbuilding took off in 1939 with few large shipbuilders. By 1942, this was not the case. The Maritime Commission was headed up by Admiral Emory S. Land- who realized that US Flag Merchant Ships were an invaluable part of National Security and Defense. The duties of the Maritime Commission encompassed Manpower, Shipbuilding, Training and other facets. Admiral Land retained the services of a large amount civilian steamship executives as well as noteworthy Naval Shipbuilders. This needs to happen again. The 1920 and 1936 Merchant Marine Acts promulgated this rapid change. The War Shipping Administration (led by civilians) marshalled the sealift resources needed to support our wartime victory. The War Shipping Administration was essentially gutted and disbanded (and returned back to the Maritime Commission) after WWII ended. Secretary Forrestal (as the first Secretary of Defense) urged (and later got) that the military- specifically the US Navy be in command of all sealift and formed what was then the Military Sea Transportation Service which later became MSC. Some job they’ve done. There at least three highly qualified individuals with similar educational attributes who have sailed as Master and who have reached the corporate heights with US Flag Shipping Companies- they would be by far a much better choice. John Parrott- formerly of Tote/Saltchuck/Foss would be in my mind a much better choice… Sadler wants to head up a shipbuilding evolution- fine- similar to that as Adm Land and Ship Construction team- appoint Sadler to the Office of Shipbuilding not a Maritime Administrator. ---
**Author:** ![Meme.Lord](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/meme.lord/32/29401_2.png) [@Meme.Lord](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Meme.Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/7 "2025-03-26T02:00:25Z")
What I’m getting at, is clearly this guy is smarter than the average bear. Every Nuke I’ve worked with was already smart, but with the extracurriculars on this guy’s resume, I think he knows enough to be effective. But @2GENUSMM I think we need to recognize that WW3 is a much different conflict than WWII. I fear many people are concerned about the number of horses in our calvary, but the fight is going to be Armored warfare; to draw a parallel to WWII. We’re going to come out of this with unmanned shipping, that’s where this is heading. I think comparing WWII to WW3 is going to be apples and oranges in hindsight. We’re looking at supporting an island hopping campaign in the pacific, I don’t thing anyone alive in the positions you are looking at are any better of a choices with this in mind. With the exception on the tug and barge operations in Alaska, I can’t think of relevant institutional knowledge on this sort of operation. This is a 3rd hand sea story at this point, but the Crowley WAK guys showed up to a DOD meeting with a plan for supplying fuel in the pacific, and were laughed out of the room with no real backend support planning. Not to mention we can’t be waiting for perfect conditions to deliver cargo. There’s a “distain” for the jones act because It’s preventing building like we need to. We need to be building, crewing, and operating lil baby tankers like the Pohang Pioneer and the SLNC Pax, but all we get legal loopholes like ATBs and ITBs, which are way more complicated than they have to be, and generally a bad time in overseas trade. When the starting gun is actually fired, then yes, it will be all hands on deck, but if we’re going to be running around with challenge coins that say “laborare pugnare parati sumus” I think I’d rather have a warrior in my garden. ---
**Author:** ![jbtam99](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jbtam99/32/65499_2.png) [@jbtam99](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jbtam99)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/8 "2025-03-26T17:30:30Z")
> [@Meme.Lord](#): > > Who the hell would the industry put forward in this type of role? @jdcavo ? 🤷🏼‍♂️ Probably gonna have my next renewal stuck in vetting limbo for eternity for putting that evil on him now. 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Tugboater203](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/tugboater203/32/14108_2.png) [@Tugboater203](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Tugboater203)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/9 "2025-03-26T17:45:46Z")
Ask for reconsideration. ---
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/10 "2025-03-27T00:19:36Z")
[https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Returning%20from%20Ebb%20Tide\_web.pdf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabNV2crwIRDYKTJJ4L-GRIro1M1M7mjEXs2m2ldGugNhJ7LWHn23vDB1hk\_aem\_XySo9k4hJc8T1lxD2LeUpw](https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Returning%20from%20Ebb%20Tide_web.pdf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAabNV2crwIRDYKTJJ4L-GRIro1M1M7mjEXs2m2ldGugNhJ7LWHn23vDB1hk_aem_XySo9k4hJc8T1lxD2LeUpw) Chapter 3 ---
**Author:** ![DavidMT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/278dde/32.png) [@DavidMT](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/DavidMT)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/11 "2025-03-27T01:15:57Z")
Would it be to much to ask for an actual merchant mariner to be in chargevat MARAD? No, ot just a KP grad. An actual merchant mariner, who has worked the Halls and sailed. I would suggest Tony Poplawski, Vince O’Halloran, or Dave Nolan ---
**Author:** ![Hogsnort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@Hogsnort](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hogsnort)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/12 "2025-03-27T19:59:24Z")
For expertise in shipping cargo to isolated areas in a hostile environment look at the programme _High Arctic Haulers_ showing the operation of the Groupe Desgagnes. Oh dear, I forgot that you have declared Canada an enemy. ---
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 1:45am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/13 "2025-05-08T01:45:52Z")
> **[Trump Withdraws Sadler Nomination, Taps Industry Veteran Stephen Carmel to...](https://gcaptain.com/trump-withdraws-sadler-nomination-taps-industry-veteran-stephen-carmel-to-lead-marad/)** > > President Donald Trump has withdrawn the nomination of retired U.S. Navy Captain Brent Sadler and nominated Stephen Carmel of Virginia to be the next Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration.... Don’t know shit about this guy but I like it so far ---
**Author:** ![Sand\_Pebble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Sand\_Pebble](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Sand_Pebble)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 2:42am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/14 "2025-05-08T02:42:38Z")
> [@BeerCaptain](#): > > I like it so far The below is from the gCaptain article. Also mentioned in the article, if appointed, he’ll be the first licensed Unlimited Master to have the job since 2005. * * * Carmel, who currently serves as president of U.S. Marine Management LLC (USMMI), brings extensive maritime industry experience to the role as a former Captain in the merchant marine. USMMI is a Norfolk, Virginia-based Jones Act-qualified maritime solutions provider specializing in U.S.-flagged vessel operations and government contract support. ---
**Author:** ![Memel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@Memel](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Memel)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 3:39am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/15 "2025-05-08T03:39:20Z")
Steve Carmel, KP grad, I think worked for Maersk. At the height of the Somali piracy attacks he wrote a smug dismissive article in the Naval Institute Press highlighting how minor the entire piracy issue was in comparison to other shipping issues. At the 30,000 ft level he was correct, but his cavalier attitude rubbed me the wrong way in light of the horror show the Filipino seaman went through who were not fortunate enough to be ransomed. My rebuttel to his article and my piracy article did not make the cut at NIP, but he did return a courteous response note. He was involved in high level MM orgs and issues in any case and has the requisite advanced degrees to compliment his Merchie resume. Unless I am mistaken, he is not a big fan of the JA but otherwise he may be a good choice and Trump may have had the right instinct to nominate Capt Carmel. ---
**Author:** ![BeerCaptain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@BeerCaptain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/BeerCaptain)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 5:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/16 "2025-05-08T05:41:07Z")
> [@Memel](#): > > Unless I am mistaken, he is not a big fan of the JA but otherwise he may be a good choice Can you provide any sort of info or expansion on this? I know nothing about the guy and would be interested to hear his opinions further. ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 10:22am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/17 "2025-05-08T10:22:10Z")
> [@Meme.Lord](#): > > I think comparing WWII to WW3 is going to be apples and oranges in hindsight. There won’t be any hindsight, or foresight or eyesight. ---
**Author:** ![McGourthyClone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@McGourthyClone](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/McGourthyClone)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/new-marad-administrator-nominee/72210/18 "2025-05-08T20:10:11Z")
Steve is one of the three or four smartest people I’ve ever been in a room with. It will be good to see someone other than a high ranking military officer or a low ranking politician in the job. Reality argues against expecting magic but should be a good test of the “we need someone from the industry” theory. I’m cautiously optimistic.