KP MIDN FINANCES

GrilledCheese94

GrilledCheese94

NAPS '90 & USNA '94
5-Year Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2016
Messages
296
One of the major decision points for our son is the lack of a monthly stipend at KP.

I know it's not much in the grand scheme of things, but even the small stipends that all SA & ROTC scholarship MIDN/CDT receive is a valid decision point.

Has anyone in either KP administration or Congress ever addressed this disparity?

Any thoughts from KP grads or students?
 
GrilledCheese94 said:
One of the major decision points for our son is the lack of a monthly stipend at KP.

I know it's not much in the grand scheme of things, but even the small stipends that all SA & ROTC scholarship MIDN/CDT receive is a valid decision point.

Has anyone in either KP administration or Congress ever addressed this disparity?

Any thoughts from KP grads or students?
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I think the key factor is USMMA midshipmen are not active duty, as the other 4 SAs are, so no taxable govt AD pay at the applicable midshipman rate. ROTC gets a stipend, via the DoD budget. USMMA is unique in so many ways as a DoT institution, especially with the options available after graduation, that there is likely US Code written specifically for them. The KP midshipmen do get paid at the merchant marine cadet rate when at sea on a merchant vessel for training, I believe.

I will be interested to see comments from the KP community here about whether there is a history on this issue.
 
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What CaptMJ said ...

I have heard that the other Cadet and M/N pay for some of the things that KP gets for free such as uniforms and books. I have heard that as part of the justification for not paying KP like the other SAs.

37 US Code Sec. 203 Rates
(c) A cadet at the United States Military Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, or the Coast Guard Academy, or a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, is entitled to monthly cadet pay, or midshipman pay, at the monthly rate equal to 35 percent of the basic pay of a commissioned officer in the pay grade O–1 with less than two years of service.

You would have to either update this to include "or the Merchant Marine Academy" after Naval Academy or add a pay clause to 46 USC Ch. 516 - US Merchant Marine Academy. Then you would have to add that to the annual appropriation.

If you look at the current DFAS pay chart, 35% of O1 pay is about $1,300 per month. Times about 1,000 at M/N at KP that's about $1.3million annually. Chump change in the greater scheme of things if you ask me.

The Alumni association I know is always working on getting KP time credited for retirement, I am not aware if they are also working on the pay part.
 
As a plebe you will not have much of an opportunity to spend money because you are essentially a prisoner until recognition. My mids both earned lots of money at KP in addition to sea year money. They stood extra watches at $20-$50 per watch, worked for a catering company as servers and valets on weekends, did odd jobs for rich and generous Great Neck families, and lots more. My mids earned enough money to pay all their expenses at KP and enjoy time in the city once they finally got liberty. I would not make a decision on what school to attend based on whether or not you get a stipend.
 
kpmom2013 said:
As a plebe you will not have much of an opportunity to spend money because you are essentially a prisoner until recognition. My mids both earned lots of money at KP in addition to sea year money. They stood extra watches at $20-$50 per watch, worked for a catering company as servers and valets on weekends, did odd jobs for rich and generous Great Neck families, and lots more. My mids earned enough money to pay all their expenses at KP and enjoy time in the city once they finally got liberty. I would not make a decision on what school to attend based on whether or not you get a stipend.
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As a USNA alum, I can’t even begin to comprehend attending a SA and essentially working a part-time job (while attending classes on campus, not while on Sea Year) as a MIDN for spending money.
 
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GrilledCheese94 said:
One of the major decision points for our son is the lack of a monthly stipend at KP.

I know it's not much in the grand scheme of things, but even the small stipends that all SA & ROTC scholarship MIDN/CDT receive is a valid decision point.

Has anyone in either KP administration or Congress ever addressed this disparity?

Any thoughts from KP grads or students?
Click to expand...
You make up for it during sea year and when you graduate. We get paid during sea year. The tankers pay you OT. One sea year I sailed with Keystone Shipping Co and made $4000/month with the OT. At the time 80's the mids stipend was $500/month. Plus the officers usually slip you a couple C notes when you go ashore if they think you're doing a good job. I did the same for the engine cadets when I sailed as 1st Engineer. I guess its a time honored tradition to provide the deck/engine cadet with some going ashore money. My last day in the Navy June 95 I went from the brow of DD 967 in San Diego to the MEBA Union Hall in Long Beach to jump on a tanker S/S Kenai, another Keystone tanker, for a 90 day stint. Went from $4k/month as a Navy Lt to $18k/month as a 3rd Engineer in the Merchant Marine.
 
GrilledCheese94 said:
As a USNA alum, I can’t even begin to comprehend attending a SA and essentially working a part-time job (while attending classes on campus, not while on Sea Year) as a MIDN for spending money.
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The difference might be that at USNA, you got funds as some form of stipend whereas someone at KP doesn’t get anything except during sea year. In my day, my parents sent me a few bucks each week, enough to cover a pizza and a beer or two. Beyond that I worked for about 5 to 6 hours every Saturday afternoon. Residents of Great Neck actually could call an employee of the Academy that would match the need against a Cadet willing to work.
 
GrilledCheese94 said:
One of the major decision points for our son is the lack of a monthly stipend at KP.

I know it's not much in the grand scheme of things, but even the small stipends that all SA & ROTC scholarship MIDN/CDT receive is a valid decision point.

Has anyone in either KP administration or Congress ever addressed this disparity?

Any thoughts from KP grads or students?
Click to expand...
My son is a 3C now, he had CGA offer as well out of hight school. HE calculated stipend vs. money he makes while at sea during KP time and his calculation was it was about a wash over the 4 year period. He did his first sailing and had quite a bit of cash in the bank afterward.
 
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