Post Graduation Career

Madrid19 · May 1, 2010

I am going to be a plebe candidate this year, and whenever anyone asks me what I want to do after graduation I am a little confused. I have heard and read KP commissions officers in the Navy, AF, Army, and Coast Guard. Is this true?

KPMarineopsdad · May 1, 2010

Yes. You can also commission into the Marine Corps and the officer corps of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. (NOAA). But the primary purpose and focus of this Academy is to train officers for the maritime industry who will also serve as officers in the navy reserve.

goldfarb1 · May 1, 2010

USMMA offers some of the best post-graduation career. Yes, you can comission in any branch or become a deck/engineering officer.

ParkerMom · May 1, 2010

Just to emphasize . . .

I'd like to reiterate what KPMarineopsdad posted:

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY AT KINGS POINT IS TO TRAIN OFFICERS TO SERVE IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY AND TO SERVE AS OFFICERS IN THE NAVY RESERVE (for eight years), although graduates also have the option to accept a commission to serve as an active duty officer (for five years) in NOAA, the Navy, Coast Guard, Army, Air Force or Marines.

Kings Point has the reputation of offering its graduates a myriad of options upon graduation, and many assume that the opportunity to accept an active duty commission in lieu of sailing on their license to be the reason for that reputation. OK, in part. But I maintain that the maritime industry itself is so vast and varied that in itself it offers an amazing array of potential careers.

Since our DS has been at KP, I've been reading Professional Mariner magazine and poking around on the internet, reading various blogs and happening upon various websites and I'm amazed at the size and scope of the maritime industry. For anyone who doesn't have a family history of working in this industry, or some other prior connection, I don't think they could really comprehend what's out there. Kings Point grads really do have the world in their hands when they step out of there.

jasperdog · May 1, 2010

ParkerMom said:
I'd like to reiterate what KPMarineopsdad posted:

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY AT KINGS POINT IS TO TRAIN OFFICERS TO SERVE IN THE MARITIME INDUSTRY AND TO SERVE AS OFFICERS IN THE NAVY RESERVE (for eight years), although graduates also have the option to accept a commission to serve as an active duty officer (for five years) in NOAA, the Navy, Coast Guard, Army, Air Force or Marines. ...

In general my understanding is the post graduate obligation for those that go Active Duty is six (6) vice five (5) years. Am I incorrect?

Everything else posted here I believe is accurate and coorect.

Madrid19 · May 2, 2010

I do know that the main focus is to prepare mids for the maritime industry. I am going to KP with an open mind and cant wait to see/experience the options available

kp2001 · May 2, 2010

jasperdog said:
In general my understanding is the post graduate obligation for those that go Active Duty is six (6) vice five (5) years. Am I incorrect?

Everything else posted here I believe is accurate and coorect.

In general KP graduates who go active duty only gain the minimum obligation for whichever branch they go into. Pilot 8yrs after winging. Surface Warfare 3yrs, etc.

No matter what though, in general, every officer in the Navy has an 8 year obligation that you have to pay in one form or another. 3yrs active, 5 years IRR. 5 years active/3yrs IRR, 8 yrs active/0yrs IRR. You could also pay off the non-active years by going SelRes (weekend a month, 2 weeks a year).

ParkerMom · May 2, 2010

jasperdog said:
In general my understanding is the post graduate obligation for those that go Active Duty is six (6) vice five (5) years. Am I incorrect?

Everything else posted here I believe is accurate and coorect.

jasperdog, you may indeed be correct, I actually do not recall the source of my belief that the obligation is 5 years (exept of course for pilots). And from reading kp2001's post, it seems that figuring out the service obligation is quite a bit more complicated than I realized.

wakefreek617 · May 2, 2010

You CAN get a commission, however, the purpose of the school is (as stated in the Mission, which you will learn verbatim during indoc) to graduate Merchant Marine officers. Officers of the merchant marine are basically civilians who operate (as deck officers or engineers) cargo ships, tankers, tugs, and all manner of commercial vessels. Upon graduating from KP you will have a US Coast Guard 3rd Mates license or a 3rd Assistant Engineers license. From speaking with graduates It seems that the license is much more valuable than any active duty commision, and after you sail on it for a few years it will really take you places.
However, some say that jobs in the maritime industry have not been plentiful and I believe as much as 1/3 of 2009 grads took active commisions.
You can also apply for a waiver of sorts to work as a civilian in a shoreside maritime-related job (shipyard, logistics, etc).

jasperdog · May 2, 2010

wakefreek617 said:
You CAN get a commission, however, the purpose of the school is (as stated in the Mission, which you will learn verbatim during indoc) to graduate Merchant Marine officers. Officers of the merchant marine are basically civilians who operate (as deck officers or engineers) cargo ships, tankers, tugs, and all manner of commercial vessels. Upon graduating from KP you will have a US Coast Guard 3rd Mates license or a 3rd Assistant Engineers license. From speaking with graduates It seems that the license is much more valuable than any active duty commission, and after you sail on it for a few years it will really take you places.
However, some say that jobs in the maritime industry have not been plentiful and I believe as much as 1/3 of 2009 grads took active commissions.
You can also apply for a waiver of sorts to work as a civilian in a shore side maritime-related job (shipyard, logistics, etc).

wakefreek: For clarity - everyone attending the Academy who is a US Citizen gets three things: 1) A B.S. Degree; 2) A USCG Third Mate or Third A/E License and 3) A Commission, generally as Ensign, USNR, MMR. They do have the option to petition to go Active Duty and or to change their commission to another branch of Service and also to go active duty in those services. Not trying to argue, just to clarify for folks who are reading the catalog, etc. As you say the primary Mission is graduate Merchant Marine Licenses.