This is exactly where these threads end up. Pretty soon EngrMarine is going to comment that SUNY is much safer, and that the training vessels are a better environment, and, by the way, the Empire State needs to be replaced, so please give the school half a billion to do so. But, moving on to the comments. I am only outside looking in, and I disagree with the comment that there is no leadership taught. Of all the SA's, I believe USMMA is the only one which requires all 1/c to hold positions. not that that in itself is leadership, but it does provide an outward indication of such. Now, are there leadership issues, yes. Does that extend to the midshipman, yes. If changes that are being talked about, including additional regimental requirements, structure, and oversight do get instituted, a step forward with regards to the current leadership training will have been taken. This is not to say that there is none, however. Frankly, most everything in the regimental system is leadership training. leadership is not learned in a classroom. It is learned by experiencing it, both as a leader, and as a follower. Both as being the person whom the leader relies on to get the job done, and as the leader relying on others to get the job done. Leadership is learning through both good and bad leadership experiences.
The SASH issue--is a made up/blown out of proportion issue. Is one instance a problem-yes. But, in order to address a problem, data of the underlying issue must be seen and steps taken to address the problem. There is a lot of talk about the problem at sea--but, there is not a reported problem at sea. The numbers of complaints, claims, law suits, etc., simply do not support the argument that sash is prevalent at sea. Does it happen, unfortunately yes. Is going to sea similar to serving on a pirate ship where the midshipmen/cadets are considered wenches for use by the crew? no. By factual data there have been only single digit complaints of such. Anonymous surveys of the students grouped together harassment and assault, which includes any language or situation which makes you uncomfortable, equal to assault. The means of the survey process discredits the results of the survey. In effect, it uses a global percentage of comments starting with the low threshold of someone was uncomfortable (which was undefined nor was the situation of uncomfort limited--arguably uncomfortable could be I was made to do pushups because of my gender) all the way through to an assault, to conclude that the total percentage equals assault. The survey on which MARAD based the stand down is complete with flawed reasoning, but, it did do what it was intended to do, which was to place pressure on congress to spend 2 billion on marad training vessels for the state schools. Follow the money, and you will see that the issue is a smokescreen. For example, Rodriguez was a strong proponent of keeping USMMA midshipmen off the commercial vessels--what did he do, he took a job at A&M Galveston where his responsibility includes placing cadets on ships. Amazingly, he apparently does not believe A&M cadets face the same hazards as he believed the midshipmen faced. The argument goes to say that the midshipmen learn to be harassers and assaulters while at sea and then bring back this culture to the campus. In other words, the merchant mariners at sea are the problem. Amazingly, the state school cadets do not receive the same training in being a pervert while at sea that usmma midshipmen apparently do.
Moving to the Academy administration.There is no doubt that new leadership is likely needed. But, I do not think you can make the leap that the school is closing or in such disrepair that people should not consider attending. The AAF will always complain about a superintendant who is not a graduate.
why would anyone go to USMMA? because it is not going to close, or lose accreditation. Why does the AAF scream and holler--because they are an alumni group, and that is what alumni groups do. lol. If you study the issues, you very clearly see a pattern of use of the school by MARAD in the last administration to achieve some ill conceived goals--such as building suny a new ship.
