After graduating USMMA?

[H2Opolodude]

Hello. I am currently applying to the Air Force and Naval Academy, and I have just started considering USMMA as an option. I am just looking for any information on the options available after graduating. For example, could I become an active duty Marine Officer after graduation? Is active duty even required? (I read something about the reserves being the requirement...)
If anyone could enlighten me on anything regarding the USMMA, that would be great!

[tankercaptain]

I suggest you read the college catalog that will answer a lot of your questions. I also suggest contacting your local USMMA rep.

[dlee96]

You can be commissioned as an officer in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines. Your choice. However, for your last year, you spend it aboard a merchant vessel in order to become familiarized with the aspects of commercial/merchant shipping.

[Ashore]

The last post was not quite correct. Prior to graduation a midshipmen may apply for an active duty position in any of the armed services or NOAA. A midshipman may also apply for a position in the reserve of those services with the default position (and the choice of a majority) being the USNR. In any event the graduate has a military obligation. During the four years at the Academy a total of one year (during third and second class years) is spent at sea generally aboard merchant vessels.

[Pima]

The question I think you need to ask yourself is why you would go USMMA over ROTC if your true desire is to be in the Marines or the AF. If you say I love what USMMA offers, and the campus, that is one thing. If you say it is a way to be commissioned, that is another.

I am not implying anything negative against the MMA, I am questioning your motives. I may be totally wrong, but it appears you want to go AD, and because USMMA has that option you are using this as plan B.

It may be a great plan B, but what if in 4 yrs from now they don't commission you, or they commission you, but not in the Marines? Would you regret those 4 yrs and wished you took a MO ROTC scholarship?

JMPO attend an SA because you want to serve AD in that branch in any position they offer you, don't attend an SA because it was the only option offered. This is not 4 yrs of your life, it is 9 yrs at least. Basically fast forward yourself a decade. 27 yrs old. Than ask yourself is the right decision for me?

OBTW if you want to go reserve, I think you do not understand that the AF does not have reserves, or at least in the way you may think it exists. All AF grads, including ROTC will go AD for at least 4 yrs (ROTC), 5 for AFA. There is no weekend warrior option. Reserve for AF is not the same as Army Reserves.

[KingsPointDiversity]

Young man, visit www.youtube.com/kingspointdiversity and watch one of the hundreds of videos and you'll see for yourself with your own eyes the diversity of career which Kings Pointers partake.

If you're interested in the USMC, you want to especially watch my interview with Lt. Col. D'Haiti.

LT Broxton

[beyond]

Some folks have seen my posts on this issue. This is a maritime school. If you want to go active duty this isn't the place for you. Their is an academy for people who want to go Marines, it is in Maryland. Merchant Marine, not Marine. You can go active duty, but that isn't what USMMA is here for.

Admissions pushes the active duty option hard, despite the fact that we aren't designed to commission active duty officers. It shows too, last year we got the scraps of the left over billets, and only 3 people were able to commission Surface Warfare. While it is certainly possible to commission AD, anyone in naval science will tell you if you want to go active duty this isn't the place. We're a reserve commissioning source, and the largest one in the Navy at that, but we train Maritime officers, not Naval officers.

[RelativeBearing]

Feel free to go active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, NOAA Corps, or any of the reserves for the aforementioned services!

The usual service obligation is 6 years commercial sailing and 8 years Naval Reserve Duty.

[H2Opolodude]

Everyone- Thank you for all of your posts. They definitely helped clear up some of the muddled aspects of USMMA in my mind.
Pima, specifically, thank you for your information. You were correct, USMMA would definitely be a "Plan B." I did understand that it is a maritime academy, however, when I read about all of the reserve/AD options for all of the branches, it threw me off as being a place to go with more options/opportunities. I think I will stick with the Air Force and Naval academies though--fast forwarding to my life after the academy, these academies definitely provide a better picture of where I'd like to be.

Thank you all.

[H2Opolodude]

KingsPointDiversity- I will definitely check out those videos! I am very interested in the marines, so thank you for referring me to some good information.

One more question for everyone: As for the active duty option, do you graduate as a commissioned officer of your selected branch, or is it some other rank?