... Seems to me that very fact says volumes about the wisdom of Helis and I applaud him for the move.
c.captain:
On this we'll have to disagree, not on wether Capt. Wallischek is/was or was not good or bad for USMMA, simply that his departure says anything at all about Dr. Helis' wisdom. Given that Capt. Wallischek is a federal civil servant, not at the SES level, so there's no way that Helis had anything to do with a significant change in his status at this point in time.
If it is confirmed that he is out, which I've asked, but not seen confirmation of. This move was/is the result of things that likely happened/started long before Helis even got interviewed for his current job. In fact though you may not believe it or think it, and given how they pushed him out so fast he'll get no credit or mention if it is, this move might have actually been started by RADM Greene; though I don't have any reason to believe it did. This is something that just would have taken longer than the time since Dr. Helis first interviewed for his current position to make happen.
For this move, if it's real, credit (or blame depending on your perspective) might actually have to go to MARAD (Matsuda and his henchmen). Of course, sometimes, something you like can come about for all the wrong reasons; as we all know every now and then even a blind squirrel stumbles upon a stray chestnut or acorn.
I say that without malice, change is necessary at KP, like you point out - being an unabashed support I'm not talking about closing USMMA but change and improvement.
I believe we need MARAD to do it's real job and that means promoting the American Flag Merchant Marine. To me that means we need MARAD to start doing the following things: a) not granting Jones Act waivers as fast as they can sign them so ships like the Maersk Rhode Island don't get reflagged out of the US Flag; b) making plans and putting forth proposed budgets so USMMA AND all the State Maritime Academies get NEW purpose built training ships, built in US Shipyards with modular construction so they can be quickly transformed and transferred when necessary for the next "Desert Shield", etc.and that have propulsion systems that engineers can properly learn on not just deckies
(some who read these forms probably not understand that the former T-AGOS ships diesel electric systems are totally not representative of what one finds on modern ships in merchant trade and use); c) put forth budgets so the USMMA AND all the State Maritime Academies can be funded by MARAD to get improved, updated/expanded simulators so the US can lead the world in Maritime Education and better prepare the students in their license tracks for evolving and increasing SCTW and IMO standards and requirements; finally d)as protectionist as it may sound, work with industry organizations to draft and put forth, laws and regulatory constructs, that can be administered by MARAD and the USCG be put in place so closer to 50% of all the shipping into and out of US Ports be in US Flag Vessels including passenger vessels that have at least their licensed officers be Americans with licenses issued by the USCG. Now that could be a real jobs program that positions the US in general and the Maritime Industry in particular, that MARAD is supposed to be the champion of, to be in a great position to fully and better benefit from an improving World Economy.