2015 Grad Speaker

DelanoLover

5-Year Member
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Jan 25, 2012
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10
Hi,

We know that the alumni speaker for graduation is Peter Rackett.

My DD said the Class of 2015 received an email this past Friday stating that the graduation speaker is going to be Nancy Pelosi.

This is exciting news. Can't wait to watch the Class of 2015 ring that bell!!!!
 
My DD said the Class of 2015 received an email this past Friday stating that the graduation speaker is going to be Nancy Pelosi.

There was no such e-mail, and no one knows yet who the graduation speaker will be, there are a few options, but nothing will be certain for two more weeks.

There are a lot of politics for both speakers that not many are privy to.
 
There are a lot of politics for both speakers that not many are privy to.

I think many are well aware of the politics surrounding the graduation speaker(s) and that is the exact reason some suspect "choices" have been made over the years.
 
I think many are well aware of the politics surrounding the graduation speaker(s) and that is the exact reason some suspect "choices" have been made over the years.
I have seen this first hand.

I was sitting in a meeting where possible graduation speakers was being discussed. The First Class President brought up the name of a very prominent and senior member of congress (from his state) who was also very high in the line of succession to the Presidency. This was outright scoffed at by the Superintendent who used words very close to "no way in hell". I thought this person would have been a very noteworthy "get" and could see no reason not to at least tender the invite except that this person was from a different political party than the then Administration in DC.
 
It is basically the start of an election cycle so we shouldn't be surprised that politics is coming in to play... that said what's it matter, it's not like this administration is going to put forth a speaker from either side of the aisle that would use the opportunity to say advocate for something like a cohesive national policy for the maritime industry, infrastructure or global trade facilitated by the maritime....
 
Navy Chief of Chaplains RADM Margaret Grun Kibben will be the speaker at USMMA Baccalaureate Service on June 19th at 1430 in the Mariner’s Chapel. USMMA Command Chaplain LCDR Jerry Durham, CHC, USN is very pleased that Admiral Kibben has accepted the invitation to speak. He is very excited and is confident that she will bring a timely message to our graduates and their families. All are invited to attend.

A native of Warrington, Pennsylvania, Rear Admiral Margaret Kibbenentered active duty in the U.S. Navy in 1986 following studies for a bachelor's degree from Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. She received both her Masters of Divinity and her Doctorate of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey. She holds a Masters degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. Kibben was a senior fellow at the United States Institute of Peace.

Kibben's Marine Corps assignments have included Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, where she served with Headquarters and Service Battalion, Security Battalion, the Brig, Marine Corps Air Facility and the president's Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1. She also served with the Marines of Second Force Service Support Group Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, making deployments to both Turkey and Norway. Later she was assigned to the Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico as the doctrine writer for Religious Ministry.

Kibben's Navy assignments include the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, as the first female chaplain. She was the Chaplain Corps historian at the Chaplain Resource Board and the command chaplain, USS San Diego (AFS 6), in Norfolk, Virginia. As U.S. 3rd Fleet chaplain, Kibben was responsible for the training and certification of all carrier strike group and expeditionary strike group religious ministry teams. She completed a deployment as the command chaplain, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan as an individual augmentee.

Most recently, Kibben was detailed to the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains, first serving as the director for Force Structure and Community Management and subsequently as the executive assistant to the chief of Navy chaplains. She became the 18th chaplain of the United States Marine Corps and deputy chief of Navy chaplains in July 2010.

Kibben assumed her current duties as the 26th chief of Navy chaplains on Aug. 1, 2014.

Her personal awards include the Legion of Merit with one gold star, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with two gold stars, and the Navy Commendation Medal with two gold stars.
 
Yep. Speaker announced this morning . . . drumroll . . . "The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administrator, Paul N. Jaenichen, Sr., will deliver the 79th Commencement address at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point on Saturday, June 20, 2015, Rear Admiral James A. Helis announced today. This year, USMMA will award degrees to 227 midshipmen."

- See more at: http://www.usmma.edu/about/communic...015-commencement-speaker#sthash.EhMGpTD5.dpuf
 
Yep. Speaker announced this morning . . . drumroll . . . "The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administrator, Paul N. Jaenichen, Sr., will deliver the 79th Commencement address at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point on Saturday, June 20, 2015, Rear Admiral James A. Helis announced today. This year, USMMA will award degrees to 227 midshipmen."

- See more at: http://www.usmma.edu/about/communic...015-commencement-speaker#sthash.EhMGpTD5.dpuf


This is proof that DoT does not care about KP.
 
I'm pretty disappointed in this announcement.
I know KP is ran by MARAD, and no disrespect towards the Maritime Administrator, but couldn't the Superintendent/MARAD have chosen someone a LITTLE more out of the box than the Maritime Administrator? Out of all the influential and successful alumni, businessmen, entrepreneurs, military brass, etc. in the country, we landed on the Maritime Administrator? Just kind of seems like KP's being sheltered by MARAD.
Who knows, maybe their "first choice" fell through or something, in which case it's a little more understandable. I'm sure it's not easy to secure a "good second pick" in case the first pick fell through.
Anyone else see where I'm coming from though?
 
Yeah...even as an incoming plebe candidate, I know I'd be disappointed if it was just the maritime administrator speaking at my graduation (if I graduate.)
 
I can understand the disappointment, but don't worry the graduating class probably won't even care who it was by about two weeks after graduation. It's always cool to be able to say my graduation speaker was XYZ but does anyone really remember what the speaker said?

This will be a chance to gather intelligence on what MARAD is thinking these days. Listen carefully to his words and one may find clues as to where things are going in the future.
 
If it's anything like the town hall conference they had with the alumni a few weeks ago, they have no plans on giving any new information on their agenda.
 
The great thing about choker collars ... if you settle in just right they will support your head in a vertical position while you sleep. I had the SecTrans who spoke at mine, it was uninspiring and a snoozer (literally).

Psst ... the MarAd is pretty much the bottom of the barrel for KP Graduation speakers.
 
To be honest, the speaker wasn't that important, but that is probably just me. . . . I was just ready to throw my hat into the air and get down to the Union Hall to register. . . I did that and was on a plane home before the sun went down. Still remember that day with unusual clarity. . . from marching out, the banner plane, the hat toss, the ride over to Jersey City and then back to JFK. . . with celebratory cool beverages and shipping card in hand. . . .
 
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