What is a USMS Admiral?

After many years reading the forum I’m posting my first thread because after being a merchant mariner for 20+ years and rising in the ranks from OS to Master Unlimited to Pilot I’ve learned MANY things but I still don’t understand what the USMS is?

I ask because a certain Army Colonel was just promoted to Rear Admiral, USMS. How do you get promoted from a Colonel to a 2 star Admiral? I understand it’s Admiral of the USMS but who specifically gave him that rank and what gave that person the authority?

I need to know who’s ass I need to start sucking over at MARAD because I’d like to wear a few stars to my daughter’s wedding :cool:

That would be a RETIRED Army Colonel, thank you very much. . . . .

[QUOTE=cmakin;78661]That would be a RETIRED Army Colonel, thank you very much. . . . .[/QUOTE]

I don’t see how that matters. It seems to me that if Matsuda and company wanted to make the supervisor of my sanitation company, or my dog for that matter, an Admiral they could. I’m just interested in knowing who promoted Helis and what gives them the authority.

This would be the same authoritee’ that decrees that one ‘must be’ an unlimited Master to be a state pilot! Bull shit from self serving egotistical organizations bent upon self preservation more than professional acumen. P.S. you can figure out which organization this refers to!

What is a USMS Admiral you ask? My answer of course, is a waste of valuable oxygen, but according to Wikipedia:

The U.S. Maritime Service falls under the authority of the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Commandant of the United States Maritime Service is the Maritime Administrator, and also serves as the Director of the National Shipping Authority and the Chairperson of the Maritime Subsidy Board. The Secretary of Transportation may determine the number of individuals in the service, set the rates of pay, prescribe the service’s uniform, and create and issue awards for the service. By law, the U.S. Maritime Service’s rank structure must be the same as that of the U.S. Coast Guard, but uniforms worn are those of the U.S. Navy with distinctive USMS insignia and devices.

The Maritime Service is a “voluntary organization” and is not one of the seven uniformed services of the United States.

Superintendents or presidents of the seven maritime academies in the U.S. are frequently commissioned in the U.S. Maritime Service, such as the Superintendent of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Additionally, some administrators and instructors at the maritime academies may be assigned rank in the Maritime Service. Those with U.S. Maritime Service rank indicate that by listing their rank and name, followed by “USMS”.

The most notable of all USMS officers is without doubt the highly revered Captain Kenneth R. Force, USMS who while serving during WWII as the master for the 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division Band and armed only with his coronet, single handedly took out an entire Nazi Waffen SS musical platoon which itself was armed with heavy bassoons, tympani and rocket propelled exploding piccolos. He also was instrumental in the development of the fully automatic Sousaphone which is still in use by combat artillery band companies to this day. It can fire armor piercing D flat major notes at rate of 30/min which are accurate to 3000yards and capable of destroying a heavy trackmounted kettledrum! The esteemed Captain Force proudly wears his many musical combat decorations on his perfectly pressed maritime bandleader’s uniform. Huzzah!

rather akin to the United States Power Squadron I’d say…somebody call Commodore “FlagOfficer” at once…his presence is need on the bridge for anchoring!

.

[QUOTE=cappy208;78671]This would be the same authoritee’ that decrees that one ‘must be’ an unlimited Master to be a state pilot! Bull shit from self serving egotistical organizations bent upon self preservation more than professional acumen. P.S. you can figure out which organization this refers to![/QUOTE]

Hear…hear…! Well spoken sir!

[QUOTE=joepilot;78660]After many years reading the forum I’m posting my first thread because after being a merchant mariner for 20+ years and rising in the ranks from OS to Master Unlimited to Pilot I’ve learned MANY things but I still don’t understand what the USMS is?

I ask because a certain Army Colonel was just promoted to Rear Admiral, USMS. How do you get promoted from a Colonel to a 2 star Admiral? I understand it’s Admiral of the USMS but who specifically gave him that rank and what gave that person the authority?

I need to know who’s ass I need to start sucking over at MARAD because I’d like to wear a few stars to my daughter’s wedding :cool:[/QUOTE]

Rear Admiral, USMS is kinda like a Grand Potentate, Most Excellent Prince, Grand Whizzer of the C.A.N or Commodore of the Pontchartrain Navy and other esteemed, lofty titles which carry as much authority and command the same respect as the common gnat.

[QUOTE=cappy208;78671]This would be the same authoritee’ that decrees that one ‘must be’ an unlimited Master to be a state pilot! Bull shit from self serving egotistical organizations bent upon self preservation more than professional acumen. P.S. you can figure out which organization this refers to![/QUOTE]

The singular most important agenda of any organization is self perpetuation, even if the purpose of the organization has ceased to exist. Yes, I can figure out which organizations you have in mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GGndoC-ZtkAn often employed tactic used by organizations to perpetuate themselves is to come up with a new and clever [I][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Raison d’être.[/I][/SIZE][/FONT]

[QUOTE=joepilot;78660]I need to know who’s ass I need to start sucking over at MARAD because I’d like to wear a few stars to my daughter’s wedding :cool:[/QUOTE]

Shoot Joe, just head out to any pawn shop, those stars go on the cheap these days.
While you’re at it, pick-up a bunch of ribbons too. It’s the in thing.

Just ask our friend Paul Watson on Sea Shepard. I’m sure he’s got plenty to spare!

[QUOTE=Swampfox;78686]Just ask our friend Paul Watson on Sea Shepard. I’m sure he’s got plenty to spare![/QUOTE]

Yea, Watson had as much salad on his uniform as Idi Amin.

[QUOTE=tengineer;78679]Rear Admiral, USMS is kinda like a Grand Potentate, Most Excellent Prince, Grand Whizzer of the C.A.N or Commodore of the Pontchartrain Navy and other esteemed, lofty titles which carry as much authority and command the same respect as the common gnat.[/QUOTE]

A gnat - Oh my goodness - this might make a few folks frown.
Not me
I’m laughing - Grand Potentate Indeed - Captain Kangaroo hoppen down steam boat road.

[QUOTE=joepilot;78660]…I need to know who’s ass I need to start sucking over at MARAD because I’d like to wear a few stars to my daughter’s wedding :cool:[/QUOTE]

You might have a better chance getting one of these:

http://www.formsofaddress.info/_images//Texas_Navy_Admiral.jpg

Can I have one these admirals instead?*

*please let me keep her this time John…I promise to feed her and clean her cage and give her baths and take her for walks and everything…pleeeeze?

[QUOTE=c.captain;78707]Can I have one these admirals instead?*

*please let me keep her this time John…I promise to feed her and clean her cage and give her baths and take her for walks and everything…pleeeeze?[/QUOTE]

PERFECT - had to add a few more words - PERFECT by itself doesn’t work- so I added some more.

[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;78738]PERFECT - had to add a few more words - PERFECT by itself doesn’t work- so I added some more.[/QUOTE]

This lovely but looney lady is known in London society circles as one Miss Daphne Guiness who is a UK version of Paris Hilton but slightly more intelligent (a rather easy standard to meet). To say the least, she is known as being somewhat eccentric in the ways of fashion but particularly with regards to her choices in footwear both demonstrated in the photo above. Other examples of this unique proclivity can get foundhere. (one small example is included in the photo below) I certainly must say that she must have an almost superhuman sense of balance!

Buy a pair for your wife or girlfriend and see her become a looney lady herself…either that or see her become the homicidal woman you always feared! (I have to wonder if the spikes in those amazing shoes are poison tipped?)

and btw, there is a connection to this forum as our fashionista extraordinaire was previously married to a Spyros Niarchos, son of the Greek shipping billionaire Stavros Niarchos but more importantly to this forum is that she is an heir by direct descent of Arthur Guinness, the 18th-century inventor of the beer that still bears his name.

Oh and when you hear me lambast the very wealthy in the world…it is this that I refer to. Fuck the idle useless rich…they are obscene!

[QUOTE=c.captain;78754]and btw, there is a connection to this forum as our fashionista extraordinaire was previously married to a Spyros Niarchos, son of the Greek shipping billionaire Stavros Niarchos but more importantly to this forum is that she is an heir by direct descent of Arthur Guinness, the 18th-century inventor of the beer that still bears his name.

Oh and when you hear me lambast the very wealthy in the world…it is this that I refer to. Fuck the idle useless rich…they are obscene![/QUOTE]

I fully agree.