FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE
Reflections of the United States Merchant Marine Academy Class of 1969
APRIL 17, 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS CLASS of 1969: FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW……………………………………………………………………………………… …1 ACADEMY MOTTO & MISSION ………………………………………………………………………………..4 INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………………………..5 GRADUATING AT THE BEGINNING OF AN ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION………………7 ACHIEVING THE MISSION……………………………………………………………………………………….8 LIVING BY THE MOTTO………………………………………………………………………………………….12 CONTRIBUTION OF KP TO OUR LIVES…………………………………………………………………….17 CLASS KP ’69 ADVOCATES……………………………………………………………………………………...21 SEA YEAR…………………………………………………………………………………………………....22 NAUTICAL EDUCATION……………………………………………………………………………….22 MARINE ENGINEERING……………………………………………………………………………….23 FORM AND MANAGE NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS……………………………….24 GLOBAL MARITIME KNOWLEDGE GENERATOR…………………………………………...26 ELIMINATE MIDSHIPMEN’S USE OF TOBACCO……………………………………………..27 BENEFITS OF LISTENING TO ALUMNI…………………………………………………………………….29 CLOSING REMARKS………………………………………………………………………………………………..29
1 CLASS of 1969: FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE
Executive Overview
At the 2019 year’s homecoming the Class of 1969, a half century after graduation, is honored with the title of Legacy Class. As such we have the opportunity, and some would say the obligation, to reflect on our lives and careers over the intervening years and the impact our KP experience has had on us individually and collectively and pass on whatever wisdom and advice we can offer.
In taking up this challenge, “Acta non Verba”, has resonated throughout our endeavor. Recognizing the collective wisdom of our class is greater than the wisdom of any individual; we collaborated to produce a result that we hope is useful and relevant to the Academy and corps of Midshipmen who follow us.
We started with a survey to allow us to analyze how our classmates internalized the lessons gained from their KP experience. The survey elicited how this experience impacted their lives and careers, and their success and failures over the intervening years. Additionally, we looked at how this aligned with the Mission of the Academy that attracted us to this school and life path in the first place, and how this life long experience may be used to the benefit of the Academy and following classes in the future.
The results of the survey, which are presented in the following pages, show a clear correlation between our KP education and our success across a myriad of industries and professions, and just as importantly the benefit to our country. The survey analyzes the most cogent aspects of this experience, their relevance to our class and their application to future classes. Throughout our lives, our KP education has represented the gold standard internationally in maritime circles.
Our survey responders worked most of their lives in the US Merchant Marine at sea and/or ashore and in numerous other industries rising to senior-levels of corporations and organizations. The companies they guided competed by utilizing global supply chains that have become more interconnected and interdependent. In this regard, our summary offers our recommendations, ideas and admonitions on how the Academy can ensure the KP education remains relevant in a global digital economy and remain the gold standard going forward in maritime education.
For example, we know that midshipmen will compete for a position in the US ocean fleet one-tenth the size of the one we encountered, and into an industry whose global annual carbon dioxide emissions are higher than those of Germany. An industry that is markedly different from the 1st industrial revolution of steam powered boomed ships, which we trained for into the new 4th industrial revolution of digitalization. An industry where the relevancy of dual deck and engine licenses are ever more critical as innovations fusing of marine and digital technologies will make the possibility of autonomous and semi-autonomous systems a reality.
We have lived to see autonomous innovations being developed in the US by US entrepreneurial companies such as Boston-based startup Sea Machine Robotics and San Francisco- based startup Shone. We are moved to ask do KP midshipmen have access to these organizations? Numerous other foreign corporations are working on technologies supported by Amazon’s AWS cloud services to build an autonomous shipping platform. Our class does not yet see the Academy 2 and its midshipmen participating and benefiting as partners through similar collaborations to advance and succeed within today’s disruptive technologies.
While Sea Year is likely the most effective internship available to undergraduates in the US today, it only deals with practical and professional maritime skills. What ever happened to “shipping office” mini-internships, and what is the engineering/technical equivalent to this exposure to the real maritime business environment? Many universities today have internship arrangements with diverse organizations and corporations. We wonder if it is possible for KP to develop similar internships’ arrangements, possibly on an elective basis, to expose midshipmen to a broader experience.
As a class we are concerned that the Sea Year as generally experienced by today’s midshipmen does not have the global interaction that is as impactful as ours was. Today, the US merchant fleet is not only dramatically smaller, but often docks at oil terminals or container ports far from the cities where we docked and spend hours not days alongside as our vessels did. We wonder, where does the global perspective we experienced and benefitted from during after graduation come from?
How will the midshipmen of today be competitive in the global marketplace if KP is only a mirror of itself 50 years on?
It will require a vision that looks toward immediate and well as long term goals. As a class we stand ready to assist in any way we can, beginning with this report, and look forward to sharing the fruits of our collective wisdom and experience in any way possible.
3
ACADEMY MOTTO & MISSION
THE MOTTO OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY; words in a foreign language that represent the expression of a vision and an admonishment, the embodiment of an ideal supported by the developmental experiences created and maintained by the Academy:
ACTA NON VERBA
THE MISSION OF THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY (1965); was the basis of the professional service obligation we accepted upon arrival at the Academy:
To attract a high type of young American with a definite ambition to become an officer in the United States Merchant Marine;
To impart the necessary academic background and the fundamentals of a practical nautical education essential to a successful career at sea;
To develop a high sense of honor, uprightness, and loyalty;
To instill a pride in their profession, and a determination to uphold the tradition of the Merchant Marine; and
By effective teaching, training and guidance, to send each graduate forth to their calling with a deep respect and affection for the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
4 INTRODUCTION
This publication is a celebration for the United States Merchant Marine Academy from its graduates of KP’s Class of ’69. We made it to our fiftieth reunion – one half a century ago we graduated from the Academy. We entered a world far different than ours today. The merchant marine we were licensed into was still engaged in the first industrial revolution. The vessels we crewed and operated were primarily power by steam, navigated with sextants and carried break-bulk cargo; which are the distinguishing characteristics of those vessels operated in the first industrial revolution. This tied our training and education closer to the 19th century than the 20th century. Our fiftieth reunion occurs in the fourth industrial revolution. As we look back and try to recall our initial privilege of attending KP, ponder what happened to us since and all that we experienced, there is a lot for us to unravel in trying to make sense of the last fifty years.
KP 69’ers, our families and the Academy experienced profound technological and societal changes. We survived! We first need to celebrate this simple fact. Mindful of our good fortune, next we need to share those benefits, what we learned, the knowledge and wisdom gained through the intervening years about survival and success in the world today from our view at the highest levels of a diverse range of organizations. This is part of the legacy of our class that we deliver a valuable message to the midshipmen who now follow us through graduation and into a world of over 7 billion people where over 90% of the world’s consumers are outside the US.
Finally, we hope through this document, to pass on to the Academy our vision of what it needs to accomplish in order to survive and prosper in the future through not only forecasting the challenges ahead but also adapting its training accordingly. The Academy will urgently need to seek new allies and partners, joining with them to develop creative solutions. This is imperative for the Academy in order to deliver to midshipmen the necessary professional and cultural experiences, intellectual tools and professional skills adapted to a future in which 21st century technological innovations continue to work for KP’s midshipmen and graduates. Therefore the final purpose of this publication is a call to action!
When the Class of ’69 joined the regiment of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy their singular goal was to be trained to serve on merchant vessels. President Johnson expressed our role after graduation to be “ to serve America on the seas as we seek to uphold the peace, justice and the dignity of man – not only here at home but for people throughout the world”. Our superintendent Rear Admiral Gordon McLintock’s message to the graduating class of 1966 was they were granted early graduation to operate the ships transporting and supplying the quarter million US soldiers in Vietnam.
The conflict in Vietnam lasted until 1975, but our class experienced the drawn down of American forces in early 1970’s. In the first half of that decade the US experienced two recessions – 1969-1970 and 1973-1975. These two recessions along with major global economic transformations caused tumultuous reduction in the US merchant marine fleet of vessels from 850 in 1970 to 320 in 1996 to less than 175 in today’s fleet. Less than 100 are Jones Act eligible. Even the Merchant Marine Act of 1970, the most significant maritime legislation in over three decades, could not reinvigorate the US maritime industry (MARAD first 100 years, 2016).
Our class study was undertaken to demonstrate how the entire exposure of training and education at the Academy was critical to the success of its graduates. Graduates who sought life 5 careers in the maritime industry and those forced to leave this industry and find employment in other parts of the global economy. This publication desires to record the history of the class of KP’69 as our visions and goals in the US merchant marine were severely limited by major economic occurrences; how did the US Merchant Marine Academy’s training support the KP’69’s efforts to recover a means to success. Economists, reporters, and academics have noted that the misfortune of graduating in a recession leads to major reductions in earnings. KP’69ers experienced not only recessions but dramatic global transformation basically wiping out the merchant marine from what we as midshipmen experienced during our sea year.
A survey of the class of KP’69 suggests that the education and training at the Academy has supported the successes achieved by its graduates. This study found that the Academy’s Motto (ACTA NON VERBA) “deeds not words” supported the development of leaders throughout 5 decades of challenges. The Motto appears to be more than inspirational as it permeated Kings Point graduates’ actions, beliefs, values and goal setting. This solid foundation built upon the nautical and marine engineering courses, sea year, academic classes, sports, and activities offered at the Academy was influential and remembered 5 decades after graduation. The Motto was at the root of the teaching, learning and overall experience which the Academy gave its midshipmen. One respondent to our survey noted the courses at the Academy were just the beginning of his success while another one stated the experiences opened the doors for him to succeed. These courses and Academy life offered opportunities for each midshipman to obtain technical, teamwork, communication, and leadership skills, and through sea year, a literal global understanding of the world to help in navigating life’s decisions. Not only did the Academy teach its midshipmen the navigation of merchant ships, but also following graduation the lessons extended to how to navigate the tumultuous trials of recessions, industry elimination and new industrial revolutions. The study uncovered that our classmates found opportunities and means to reinvent themselves to master the challenges they would face in the 50 years after graduation.
This report seeks to assist Kings Point on how best to enter the 21st century. As President Trump said in 2018 “From sea to shining sea, Americans benefit from the ocean’s bounty – from the industries it supports and the jobs it creates”. Kings Pointers can lead the way. Oceans support our Nation’s workforce and economy, providing over 3.2 million jobs and contributing $320 billion to the national GDP. Our study suggests, as did the 50th report published by the class of 1962, that the focus on individual accomplishment misses the real point regarding the value of the Kings Point experience to this country. In our study the graduates found within the Kings Point experience unique values that only are present at Kings Point. Included in these values is the camaraderie among classmates and within the entire body of graduates that facilitate improvements in industries related to global commerce.
The impact that Kings Point has made, and continues to make, should really be measured in terms of the collective impact of all its graduates. For this reason, this report is not about the achievements of individual members of the Class of 1969. Rather, in the 50 years since graduation, it is about the positive impact that the entire Class has made upon the maritime industry, it’s related communities and the nation as a whole. During a period in which the US maritime industry has been negatively transformed by global economic and technological forces (the global digital age) the KP experience was the major contributing factor for our classmate’s successes. In this regard, it should be noted that the Class of 1969 represents less than two percent of the Academy’s total graduate body. Therefore the impact of 76 years of Kings Point
6 graduates on the global economic wellbeing of our nation and the potential future 76 years can only be imagined!
GRADUATING AT THE BEGINNING OF AN ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION
The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is charged with the training of officers for service in the U. S. Merchant Marine, and today that has been expanded to include service in branches of the military and executives within the transportation industries. Our survey found that the class of 1969 in the past 50 years overcame tremendous difficulties to contribute to the achievement of these three charges. The respondents to our survey are 30% of our class; those with known digital contact information. The response rate is much higher than experienced by academic and national surveys. Yet, this is a considerably lower percentage than that of the Class of 1962. We attribute that lower response do to our class having only a few months of service in a healthy merchant marine industry as compared to almost 10 years experienced by the class of 1962. (Nevertheless, it is valid and useful to assume the essences of the responses are representative of the class as whole).
Within ten years after our graduation most doors of opportunity were shut within the maritime industry to the Class of ’69. Graduate’s ability to participate, let alone gain life long career success in the US Merchant Marine, were severely limited. A good indicator of the economic hardships the Class of ’69 experienced due to the dramatic economic downsizing of the US Merchant Marine is illustrated by their survey responses. (See following chart)
Number of Career Changes Each Respondent had over 50 years 12 10 8 6 4 2 5 9 10 5 7 4 1 2 2 2 1 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Publications exploring the issue presented that Kings Point graduates in the mid-1970’s experienced being excluded from the powerful maritime unions and thus unable to secure permanent positions at sea (pg. 244; In Peace and War: A History of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, By Jeffrey L. Cruikshank, Chloe G. Kline, 2007). The impact is obvious when one notes that over a quarter (27%) of our class respondents experienced more than 4 career changes in these 50 years. Our classmates stated overwhelmingly that it was their
7 experience at Kings Point that made them capable of success even as they were forced to master new skills, create new networks, establish new goals, and compete against those established leaders in the new industries they joined.
ACHIEVING THE MISSION
The Academy’s MISSION is its statement of purpose serving as a guide to educate, develop, and inspire midshipmen and Academy decision-makers. The focus of the Academy is to furnish to the US Merchant Marine educated, dedicated, honorable officers. Upon graduation the class of ’69 entered service in the US Merchant Marine and Military (see chart).
Class of '69 Years At Sea 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 34 7 2 0 3 Years 3 to 10 Years 10 to 20 Years
The Academy’s community including faculty, staff, coaches, and other civilians who interacted with midshipmen, along with its programs and experiences, created and maintained a positive environment by implementing systems, which supported comprehensive developmental experiences. Developmental experiences encompassed a great deal including individual courses, training events, individual professional experiences, sports and extracurricular activities, but most epitomized by our Sea Year, which remained uppermost in the memories of our survey’s responders.
For the midshipmen the MISSION provided insight into what will be expected of them inspiring their efforts to achieve clear targets. These targets at the individual level were aligned to the steps taken by the Academy and its community to communicate, train and oversee midshipmen holding them responsible for their developmental behavior. Together the midshipmen and the Academy utilized the MISSION to create structures and infrastructures to do it “the right way” making positive impacts on the midshipmen. The Academy aligned its
8 actions, practices, policies and decisions to achieve great outcomes in every midshipman. The Class of ’69, in their limited time serving in the US Merchant Marine, achieved a high level of professional advancement as seen in the licenses they obtained. 53% of respondents achieved a rank of 2nd Mate/2nd Engineer or above, while 11% achieved a rank of Master/Chief Engineer:
License Grades of Class of '69 25
20
15
10
5 5 2 18 22 0 Master/Chief Eng Chief Mate/1st Eng 2nd Mate/Eng 3rd Mate/Eng
Each midshipman benefited from the application of the MISSION by finding a source of strength leading to the acquisition of capabilities at the highest level of human performance. The entire community benefited from the MISSION, which created the environment necessary to generate mutually beneficial relationships between each midshipman and the organization knitting together the behaviors of all stakeholders. The MISSION provided the Academy’s faculty and staff habits leading to high levels of effectiveness through role clarity and focused empowerment. For the midshipmen they received clear goals and objectives making sure they knew “why”, “how” and “what” are the best means to apply their personal investments to pursue specific goals leading to successful careers in the US Merchant Marine. The MISSION created a winning formula to bring all stakeholders together in an efficient ecosystem to overcome the accordant challenges. Evidence that the MISSION has been realized is through the observation of each responder’s acknowledgement of specific actionable steps they experienced that benefited them and contributed to their continuous success. For the Class of ’69 we have had 50 years during which our professional capabilities and values were tested and validated.
All respondents completed their US Merchant Marine service obligation. Of course, many of us needed to utilize the change in the obligation that allowed us to substitute one-month service in the Navy if we were unable to obtain a sea position on a US merchant vessel in a particular year (30 days ACDUTRA). This service was primarily on the oceans, as the focus of our training and education, especially during Sea Year was just that.
9 Waters of Class'69 Service
35
2 2 2 2 Ocean Inland Great Lakes Coastal Piloting
The overwhelming majority of the class of ’69 preferred working within the Merchant Marine (AT SEA & ASHORE) and the Military. Only later in life were the majority forced to seek employment outside of these professional occupations. The time of employment on merchant vessels for the majority of the class was very short. The respondents who were fortunate to find employment in the Merchant Marine ashore faced hardships as well since many of the companies they worked for faced competition from foreign firms limiting opportunities for growth or longevity of employment.
NUMBER OF YEARS RESPONDENTS WORKED MERCHANT MARINE ASHORE 30 25 20 15 10 5 24 3 3 3 6 5 0 0 to 3 4 to 11 to 21 to 31 to 41 to 10 20 30 40 50
Nevertheless, for those whose marine-related companies continued to operate in the highly competitive global shipping environment, respondents rose to the highest levels of management.
10 Management Level for Merchant Marine Companies Ashore 12 10 8 6 4 2 5 11 10 8 0 CLASSMATES
VP
MANAGER
PRESIDENT/CEO ENGINEER/AGENT
We as midshipmen entered KP with a desire to serve our country and prepared to be challenged academically, physically and mentally. We were honored to have the ability to receive the commission in a US service of our choice. From the first day we were challenged acculturate to a rigorous military life-style. Not surprisingly, academy life was very regimented and regulated, some felt to an insane point. Many in the entering class did not make it through the first month. The environment of KP was a very structured learning experience where mental, physical and moral excellence was expected every moment. Throughout our time as a midshipmen we were given opportunities to learn and practice intangible skills especially leadership, teamwork and exposed to cross-cultural experiences.
KP provided extensive guidance and practical education. This helped make our transition as an officer to either maritime or military professions that much simpler. (23 of the respondents credited KP’s learned marine skill sets, military training and orientation with their success in the military)
KP midshipmen are reservist rather than considered an Active Component of a Service branch as are the cadets and midshipmen at the other Military Academies. When these cadets and midshipmen graduate they receive a regular commission. This is an important distinction for a KP graduate who is considering entering military service rather than the merchant marine. For very few “reservists” are allowed to serve extensive careers on active duty – we as KP grads are “reservists”.
11 CLASS OF '69 TOTAL MILITARY SERVICE 20 15 10 5 19 11 3 7 0 3-6 7-12 13-20 20+ Years Years Years TOTAL ACTIVE & RESERVE
Of those who responded from the Class of ’69 at least one graduate who served in the US Air Force attaining the rank of colonel, and one graduate who served in the US Coast Guard attained the rank of Commander.
Highest Military Rank Achieved 40 30 20 10 3 33 3 5 2 0 LTjg (O2) LT (O3) LCDR (O4) CDR (O5) Captain (O6) Number of Classmates
LIVING BY THE MOTTO
Our class’ responders acknowledged that the Academy’s MOTTO was not just a tagline but a maxim that goes beyond intent or speech as it extols the virtues each midshipmen needs to develop to be an effective leader. It is heartening to find that fellow classmates not only remember the Academy’s motto, but also have used the MOTTO regularly as a touchstone within their lives. Our fellow classmates attribute the MOTTO for holding relevant and important principles that have given them strengths when challenges have appeared. 40 (85%) of our responders answered yes that the MOTTO was a part of their life for the 50 years since graduation (only 3 of the 47 responders did not answer in the affirmative).
The MOTTO, only three words, gave our classmates rules of conduct forming the fundamental tenet, which we as leaders need to heed because of our behavior not the position
12 we hold. The respondents noted that their effectiveness in a variety of executive positions was from their KP experience especially imparting to them cognitive flexibility. The KP experience imparted to them flexible thinking so when faced with a new challenge our classmates were willing to change their habitual perceptions. The following is a sample of what the MOTTO meant to our classmates:
• It has taught me to be a leader rather than a follower. • You will never be successful if you don't TRY something. If you believe you will not be successful and fail to act, you will never know. This is something I have instilled in both of our sons. • There is an old saying that goes "There are three kinds of people-those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wondered what happened". This saying and Acta Non Verbal has guided me throughout my life for the past 50 years. • Collaboration and the creation of "win-win" situations in business and life is important.
It is one thing to say a motto and it is a totally different state to accept the motto as a functional means to overcome adversity. At the Academy our indoctrination was an inculcating of methodologies opening each midshipman’s mind to a new set of values, attitudes and cognitive capabilities. Before the fundamentals of a practical nautical education could become a natural part of our professional skills, there was the culture shock of a fully ordered 18-hour day and the interactions with KP personnel leading the way. Overtime we saw the departure of section mates who did not march, cope, sleep, or otherwise conform to it. Those who found a way to conform lasted longer, and if they conformed long enough, they began to fit into the regiment and gather the fundamentals of a practical nautical education in terms of discipline, vocabulary, knowledge, physical skills and mental toughness. Awareness of the work required to graduate came slowly and then it became the single obsessive goal. It was our first voyage.
We began to comprehend the motto underpinning our ambition and to take pride in an ancient profession and uphold its traditions. We saw it as a noble profession, which supported the birth of our nation and carried through two hundred years of US Flag merchant ship operations in war and in peace.
For many, our careers at sea ended with the three year obligated service aboard merchant ships or under US Naval Reserve Active Duty Training Orders. The heave and trough in the arena of commercial ship operations under the US Flag was such that many of our careers at sea, while successful, were unfortunately brief. As a result we were obliged to take our skills to either military, maritime, government or other shore-based industries over the remaining balance of the 50 years since graduation.
Our classmates acknowledged the principles the MOTTO imparted to us. It set us apart by instilling a commitment to alter an existing mess into an actionable strategy for positive change. This evolution from those who can’t find purpose to one who seeks positive influencing action is not common. Those who possess it are not usually beginners at the process but have had proper mentoring and learned through experiences how to understand complex situations develop the capabilities to work within diverse relationships to achieve lasting results.
13 In the regiment, administrative leadership positions represented a training opportunity in preparation for the supervisory rolls of shipboard officers. The experience of supervision of a watch standing job as officers was the next step to leadership. The scope of our leadership responsibilities expanded during our careers as our individual leadership skills became respected by our peers and superiors. Our respondents expressed their willingness to overcome fear and to get “out there” pushing beyond introversion or reluctance to take a chance. They trusted their ability to get to the root of the issue, understand contributing factors and arrive at new solutions.
Respondents reinforced their competencies to develop authentic and possibly contrarian viewpoints after receiving at the Academy formative and life-long lessons during plebe year, Sea Year, going around the globe, working with diversities, competitive sports, close friendships, teamwork, shared struggles, opportunities to take responsibility, and a high quality of professional education. Respondents further acknowledge specific capabilities learned and experienced at the Academy which included: professional competence, courage to make an impact, truthfulness, loyalty, accountability, desire to seek and accept responsibility, ability to make sound and timely decisions, integrity, self-motivation, empathy, and persistence.
27 (57%) of the respondents worked ashore in merchant marine related companies.
Years '69ers Worked in Marine Related Companies Ashore
20
15
10
5 17 10 2 18 0 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 50
14
How many On-Shore companies and organizations did responders work for?:
Companies Ashore each '69er Worked For 20
15
10
5 15 7 5 0 Number of Companies 0 to 3 4 to 6 7 to 10
How did KP contribute to classmates’ marine ASHORE successes?
KP Contribution to Marine ASHORE Successes 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 19 8 8 7 0 Professional Knowledge Leadership DecisionMaking Confidence
15
Post Grad Education 20
15
10
5 7 18 7 4 3 0 POST GRAD MASTERS LAW PHD MEDICAL
39 of our respondents engaged in post graduate education which gives the Kings Pointer a comtetitive edge. Making the extra effort to enroll in post graduate education is indicative of a person who is motivated, organized, persistent and has a strong work ethic.
After their employment in the US Merchant Marine At-Sea and Ashore KP’ 69ers were again benefited by their training and education as they entered non-marine and related industries. KP ‘69ers used their skills to rise to the highest levels of organizational leadership (see chart below). Post Merchant Marine Employment Positions 12 10 8 6 4 2 6 11 8 4 1 2 3 3 0
VP JURIS FACULTY MEDICAL
GOVT OFFICIAL PRESIDENT/CEO FOUNDER/OWNER ELECTED OFFICIAL
16
20 (43%) of the responders received honors for their professional and community contributions and achievements. Receiving recognition is tangible evidence that others judge an individual as being successful. Awards are indicative of individuals who pursue high-quality work that have a positive impact within an industry and community. (8 (17%)of the responders had an extensive list of publications)
KP ‘69ers accredited the KP experience to their non-marine related employment successes by responding to the survey question: How did KP make a contribution to your Post-Merchant Marine careers? a) KP instilled in me the value of integrity b) Commitment to lead by example and dedication to getting the job done. c) How to work with people d) Interest in offshore stuff which led to 30+ year career in various offshore industries e) Practical education leading directly to a highly responsible position onboard a merchant vessel in international trade. f) International exposure to the world via sea year and direct exposure to the practical realities of working as an officer on a vessel in international trade. g) Difficult to articulate fully the enormous change the academy made in me. h) Never willing to accept anything but success
CONTRIBUTION OF KP TO OUR LIVES
Our fellow classmates responded consistently that the international, social and professional experiences they had during Sea Year had a lasting beneficial impact on their lives. In addition to preparing midshipmen for and managing their Sea Year, KP contributed to the successes of each midshipman by combining rigorous academic coursework with training that prepared midshipmen for the mental demands and leadership requirements of the maritime industry. Yes, even though our mission was focused on our serving at sea as a deck or engine officer, the overall experiences and training was also most applicable for managing and leading people and organizations ashore. KP’s combination of rigorous academic, regimental and social experiences was a path preparing us to flourish in highly challenging careers.
We learned valuable skills, which prepared us for lifelong success. Included within in this was KP’s contribution to the development of character as a core component of the KP experience. KP fostered a focus on respect for authority, our peers and for each of our classmates. Dedicated staff and faculty supported the Academy’s methods to boost our confidence, engagement and achievement. The next most beneficial impact KP had on the lives of our classmates was the lifetime friendships. We were challenged continually by KP’s class system functioning during our plebe year building bonding between and among our classmates as we faced common adversities. There were more than challenges to each midshipman and to our class; there were opportunities. Opportunities to practice our leadership skills and to see the results of our actions.
17 KP EXPERIENCES RESPONDENTS CREDIT WITH LASTING IMPACT ON THEIR LIVES 30
25
20
15
10
5 25 17 12 11 8 0
SEA YEAR EDUCATION ACTIVITIES
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES FRIENDSHIPS/RELATIONSHIPS
As a class we were a team granted we had individual accountability, but as a class, as part of a section and with our fellow roommate we needed to continually be aware of the needs and contributions of others as we worked towards completing numerous tasks each day. The KP mindset was developed by our experience at the Academy (as expressed by our survey respondents) to solve problems through teamwork. This teamwork experienced over 50 years ago was our practice of a collaborative workplace increasingly important in the last 20 years of the modern world as all companies and organizations became more connected around the globe.
35 (74%) OF THE RESPONDENTS ACKNOWLEDGE THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE GIVEN TO THEM BY THE KP EXPERIENCES.
Companies over the last 20 years developed and had to manage global supply chains with the result that getting a product to market required the management of a larger and larger set of people, organizations, places and processes. Our training at KP and in our Sea Year was the best indoctrination for executives and managers of global supply chains. As the distances in miles and cultures lengthened the potential for confusion, rework, variance and other inefficiencies grew geometrically. Our KP global experience made us competitive.
38 (80%) OF RESPONDENTS AFTER MARINE/MILITARY CAREERS FOUND CAREERS ASHORE
18
Number of Classmates holding Leadership Positions 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 3 14 3 1 6 5 8 1 0
Medical Manager
Vice President Owner/Founder University Faculty Group Leader/Legal Director/elected offical President/CEO/Dean/Lea… Number of Classmates
Our Respondents’ Leadership Positions after service in the Merchant Marine
Not only did we have knowledge, but also we had experience of multicultural, multilingual, multinational business experience. We could function in a global organization under one-roof to integrate information and share knowledge by phone, email, telepresence and real-time messaging across time zones. Collaboration is a social activity; our ability to create trust within our class was a bedrock for success in these global organizations.
21(45%) 0F THE RESPONDENTS HAVE RECEIVED RECOGNITION/AWARDS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP
Our respondents acknowledge that the “broadened perspective was created by exposure to wide range of extremes”. The KP experience created a beneficial impact on their lives. In addition to Sea Year and lifetime friendships our respondents’ lives were impacted by the opportunities to be exposed to and experience difficult situations at a young age. This included leadership roles requiring work both individually and within a team and facing new and unpredictable situations. In addition KP’s activities like athletics and band served to broaden our ability to “play together”. Not only did we have continual opportunities to be a leader, but also we had the opportunity to display our “intellectual honesty”. We practiced, with our actions ultimately representing what we actually believed in.
19 KP ’69 respondents were asked to rate the impact of the KP experience to the following specific circumstances:
1. KP experiences allowed me to have the courage to do the right things despite the fear of negative consequences: 2. My KP experience gave me professional capabilities to find & take advantage of opportunities: 3. My KP experience taught me to face whatever was thrown at me: to improvise, adapt and succeed: 4. My KP experience gave me abilities to establish clear & successful goals: 5. KP experience contributed to my most significant accomplishments: 6. KP experience gave me the means to act when faced with most difficult problems: 7. KP experience gave me competences to lead and influence: 8. KP experience gave me excellent leadership skills: 9. KP experience gave me an understanding of how my service and achievements would benefit our country:
KP ‘69ers responses to the above queries were overall in agreement that their KP experiences had a major and long lasting impact on their lives. KP's Contribution Likert Scale 1-7 7 – Strongly Agree
6.6 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.1 6 - Agree 6.0 6.0 5.7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
In addition to the professional and leadership knowledge, KP provided us a global perspective that has benefited us for the last fifty years. We were decades ahead of other institutions of higher learning. You could even say we were pioneers of globalization as we saw the first application of the steel boxes – the container – that was rapidly adopted in the 1970s. These simple steel boxes made global transport cheaper, more efficient and intermodal transport viable.
While this US innovation supported globalization and while we, almost immediately after graduation, found it difficult to participate in global trade within the US merchant marine the ratio of world trade to world GDP increased from 19% to 48% from 1970 till 2015. The United States accounts for over a quarter of the world’s economy and its exports as a share of its economy has increased from 4.5% in 1965 till over 12% of GDP today. Now with over 90
20 percent of the world’s consumers living outside of the United States, the greatest economic opportunity for US corporations is to create and manage global supply networks. US corporations employing KP graduates will need to control from design to delivery of their products and services to the future 9 billion people around the globe by being experts at assimilating 4th industrial revolution technologies into global communication and transportation platforms.
The emergence of 4th industrial revolution technologies will fundamentally change global supply networks across industries, and KP graduates need to be prepared to remain competitive and deliver value starting with marine transportation and then maturing to be the executives leading global corporations through their necessary transformations. The US has been one of the world’s leading maritime trading nations. To maintain this dominance in the world economy, the US needs 4th industrial revolution educated KP graduates to reach emerging markets around the globe. Of course, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy’s Motto & its revised Mission are important for existing training and will influence the performance of these KP graduates, but to be competitive KP graduates will need to be equipped with a full understanding of the relevant technical, relational, and communication 4th industrial revolution skills.
CLASS OF KP ’69 ADVOCATES
The Class of 69’ has a history of advocating for change to improve the lives of midshipmen and the Academy’s position within the academic community and the maritime world. It is with a just level of pride that we claim ownership of the White Paper, formally known as “Recommendations of the Corps of Midshipmen” which was drafted and delivered to the Academy administration in January of 1969. As one of our classmates recalled, the White Paper, “was the expression of a unique movement which brought honor, prestige and credit to the Regiment because of the professional way in which it addressed problems at the Academy… and moved them forward along the path for resolution”. We offer the following recommendations in this same spirit.
In keeping with this tradition, we acknowledge the Academy’s administration deserves much credit in establishing and implementing successful strategies to not only keep KP open, but also make it the model for other institutions to emulate. During the last fifty-year period of maritime industry transformation the Academy rebuilt its academic excellence. In 2018 U.S. News and World Report rated the Academy as being #3 in regional colleges north, #2 in Top Public Schools and #19 in engineering programs without doctorate programs.
This has been done while maintaining a cost per midshipman of approximately 50% that of other academies (The Washington Post, Bill McAllister, 1995). This figure shows well for the abilities of KP’s administration to manage a federal academy in a very expensive area, but we question this tremendous shortfall for the long-term viability of our midshipmen. Every visitor to KP unfortunately sees this shortfall.
An analysis of the responses to open ended questions about what benefited our classmates at particular periods of their careers and about what they believe would benefit midshipmen for future challenges was conducted. From this analysis insights were developed for improvements in KP’s:
21 • Sea Year, • Nautical Education, • Marine Engineering, • Form and Manage New Strategic Partnerships, • Global Maritime Knowledge Generator, and • Eliminate Midshipmen’s Use of Tobacco
The Class of KP ‘69ers offers the following suggested developmental changes that hopefully will best serve graduating midshipmen throughout the 21st century. These changes are designed to revamp the KP experience for the 4th Industrial Revolution by enabling KP to become a better version of itself.
SEA YEAR
The educational, operational and global immersion value of Sea Year was by far the most mentioned, impactful experience and enduring program for KP’69ers over these 50 years. KP ‘69ers individually characterized Sea Year for its positive impact on their lives and contributory to the successes experienced by our class in business, family and life. With the diminished size of the US Merchant Marine and the limited ports of call the US merchant fleet visits, Sea Year experienced by midshipmen is only a ghost of the one KP ‘69ers experienced. In comparison Sea Year today falls short of not only what we experienced both professionally as deck or engine midshipmen, but also falls short of the academic and the global focus benefits of a Semester-at- Sea. Semester-at-Sea programs are supported by Congress and forecasted to grow by significant numbers in the next few years. Semester-at-Sea has several US universities sponsors with programs (e.g. LIUGlobal) that integrate multiple-country study, 70+ courses with interdisciplinary coursework, and experiential learning for meaningful engagement in the marine and global communities. Aboard the vessels, Semester-at-Sea is basically a floating campus retrofitted to include the educational resources of a land-based institution, including state-of-the-art classrooms, a library and access to online academic resources. With KP’s Sea Year stuck in the past and dramatically fewer options afforded the midshipmen, how can KP support a continuation of this program without a complete transformation? Revamping of KP’s Sea Year needs immediate transformation to bring it into the 21st century and to stop the pretense that midshipmen today are being exposed to a global nautical or marine engineering program the quality that midshipmen experienced in the later half of the 20th century!
NAUTICAL EDUCATION
The nautical education we received prepared us all to take a watch on our first day aboard. We knew how to navigate and how to comply with the Rules of the Road. We knew how to stand a watch, keeping the shipping lanes, our ship and crew safe. A junior officer coming out of Annapolis or New London has a long way to go before he/she will ever be able to take the conn of the bridge of a ship. Any officer aspiring for bridge duty must be able to pass a Rules of the Road examination similar to a license exam. Similarly that officer must be able to read and understand what is on a navigation chart and be able to interpret where danger might occur. Midshipmen also need to learn syntopical reading and operational understanding of government
22 rules and regulations especially new regulations and their impact on present operational procedures.
A standardized curriculum with expectations for results clearly delineated would be immensely useful for all seagoing officers when they first report aboard a ship and establish reasonable expectations of what a Commanding Officer can foresee when a new officer reports aboard. As a part of the Academy’s position as the leader in maritime education, KP should reach out to the other Maritime related institutions of higher learning including the State Maritime Academy’s, the private training institutes like Pacific Maritime Institute, the US Naval Academy and the US Coast Guard Academy to establish a standard curriculum of Navigation and Ship Handling. Today ship officers receive training at The Seamen’s Church Institute's Center for Maritime Education (CME), AMO STAR Center, MITAGS and other facilities utilizing computer simulation technology.
With these partners KP can initiate research to develop virtual reality technologies to supplement computer simulation training for midshipmen. The partnership will also be large enough to develop state of the art maritime security training. In particular KP should strive to become the international leader in national and international maritime security with a primary focus on supporting the projection of national security globally by developing knowledge to support our military, economic development security building on the safety of our global supply chains, design/installation/operation environmental equipment and human security in the transportation of US goods and services globally.
Today and in the future the training of marine officers needs to include all of the above. To do this, new knowledge must be developed with the resources of partners for these are complex global problems needing holistic perspectives and oversight to generate technological innovations. Solutions can only be developed and implemented with the cooperation of civil and military partners including academic and operational organizations such as KP.
In this respect, we believe there needs to be more outreach to the Union and Professional schools as well as the other State and Overseas Maritime Academies, to develop cooperative training and educational solutions to meet the challenges of the future. Recently 10 or more cosmological observatories around the world were linked together to enable the world to see black hole. It was an astounding feat, but only made possible through data sharing and collaboration between diverse multinational astrological institutions.
To meet the demands of training the 21st century mariner, there needs to be a pooling of resources, but just as importantly an industry leader to establish and husband the technical as well as educational collaboration between the various educational maritime enterprises. KP needs to remain this leader.
MARINE ENGINEERING
A frugal management environment at the Academy regardless of the need to advance knowledge in a federal institute founded for national service and higher education has for decades kept the engineering education facilities back in the 20th century. Since the Academy’s graduating midshipmen will now need 21st century state-of-the-art education and research, KP needs to find new partners who will support the return of KP graduates to their necessary global 23 leadership. Global leaders today rely on strategic partnerships and collaborative relationships complementing existing capabilities to adapt to rapid global transformations. To insure the rich intellectual heritage of KP carries its midshipmen and alumni as undisputed leaders in the research, design, construction and operation of marine vessels through the remainder of the 21st century, KP needs to develop the expertise and intellectual capital necessary for the next generation of marine engineers.
The Academy’s high-achieving alumni need excellence in engineering and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs to solve the complex global challenges and insure our nation’s continued maritime knowledge remains predominant. From digitalization to global warming to opening the Artic for marine transportation, the US needs to create and maintain competitiveness within it fleet of merchant vessels. Midshipmen need to learn how to perform syntopical reading and develop operational understanding of government rules and regulations. Vessels’ design, construction, operation, maintenance and repair need to integrate several engineering specialties to support innovative solutions to improve operational efficiencies, spearhead the investigation of alternative energy sources, rapidly improve the safety of vessels and reduce marine and atmospheric environmental impacts.
The US maritime industry supports the entire US Gross National Product, and is integral to our collective future prosperity and security. What KP lacks are the 21st century facilities and infrastructure for the teaching, research and collaboration needed to integrate today’s technological advances in AI, big data analytics, IOT, advanced materials, 3-D printing, energy and propulsion, robotics, autonomy, man-machine interfaces, advanced sensing and computing in it’s core marine engineering studies. Presently, KP has no organized means for modernizing and renewing its engineering infrastructure to educate through training, operation and research its midshipmen and alumni.
The U.S merchant marine fleet and maritime industrial capacity has been allowed to decline to the minimum critical mass level considered adequate to initiate new growth. Whether recovery can happen is a matter of speculation considering the lost technology, human capital and limited competitive enterprise available to support the growth of the US merchant fleet. Maritime infrastructure recovery is not foreseeable without establishing a modernized and centralized base of academic effort to keep US Merchant Marine knowledge base at a global level. This needs to change for the good of KP’s midshipmen, alumni, the US Merchant Marine and the economic viability of the US through the 21st century. 21st century’s marine engineering calling is one of transformation. Reliving the status quo must be replaced by the rethinking of the now with complementary technology partners. KP’s alumni are with you and want to assist you in this journey.
FORM AND MANAGE NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
As we were there to see the introduction of the container, today’s midshipmen need the most advanced vessel technologies along with the most advanced digital, transportation, and space exploration technologies. KP needs to be the lead institution in transporting cargo wherever it needs to go. In addition, KP needs to initiate a new global marine strategy. The US merchant marine is not going to grow, but the need for the US to be the most maritime knowledgeable country in the world to protect its global economy is vital for US independence and prosperity. Therefore, KP needs to become the premier research institution for ocean vessel 24 technologies. Technologies that will be necessary in the decades to come should be a primary component of KP’s future MISSION. These technologies should go from seeking new patentable innovations utilizing green technologies and partnering with organizations such as IMO to space cargo technologies partnering with the future titans of this fast-growing industry. KP needs to be the National Maritime Research Institute of the US sustained with financial support from Federally Funded Research, National Science Foundation, Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) Program and Development Center or within Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Companies like Tesla, SpaceX, Boeing, Orbital Sciences, XL Group, AD ASTRA ROCKET and government agency like NASA are today’s Moore-McCormack or Lykes Brothers Steamship Lines.
KP needs to partner with these advanced transportation firms and find strategic partners to form numerous relationships with firms similar to Caterpillar, Google, United Technologies, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Bosch, Wartsila, and Coursera to perform research and develop innovation with not only the US Coast Guard and Navy, but also with agencies such as NASA to California Air Resources Board. Tomorrow KP’s midshipmen need to be the best not only on the oceans, but also to commercialize the final frontier. If Morgan Stanley is correct and the space industry will reach over one trillion dollars in 2040, Kings Point needs to diversify its future to also include research and practical applications from pioneers like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos as our future was decided by Malcom Mclean.
The respondents to our survey developed this dichotomy when asked with whom should KP partner with in the future. What national and/or global organizations/corporations should KP partner with to better prepare its midshipmen for the future challenges they will face?
Dichotomy of responses – PARTNERS TO BETTER PREPARE MIDSHIPMEN FOR THEIR FUTURE CHALLENGES TRADITIONAL: Knowledge Generators and Users 21st Century: 1st Industrial Revolution 4TH Industrial Revolution
SNAME IMO AMAZON DOD/NAVY/USCG NOAA TESLA HUNTINGTON INGALLS ABS APPLE NEWPORT NEWS CATERPILLAR FEDEX CROWLEY MAN BOEING Maersk Line American Institute of Marine GATES Underwriters Academies – USCG, International Chamber of Shipping Dept. Homeland Security Annapolis, Maritime Academies Seamen’s Church Admiralty organizations Entrepreneurial Ventures Institute STAR Center US Dept. Environmental Protection
MITAGS Alston, Siemens, National Oilwell Varco
25 GLOBAL MARITIME KNOWLEDGE GENERATOR
At a time when the world has over 52,000 merchant ships and with the US having approximately 175 the ability for the Academy to even find an ocean for its midshipmen is very difficult. The experience we had during sea year is not available for every KP midshipmen. Even with the potential shortfall of trained personnel by 2022 estimated by the US Maritime Administration to be “70,000 new” mariners not counting any military surge capacity shortfall, the need for the US, especially the KP administration to review how best to educate and train the present and future midshipmen especially infusing midshipmen life with an up-to-date global perspective is critical. Our sea year was the lens through which we saw the world around us. It shaped how we perceived and understood our own identity and the identity of people we interacted with. The year we had at sea gave us the awareness of the global context in which the entire US economy must compete if we are to succeed. The organizations, we worked for after our MM careers ended, utilized our sea-year experiences to the benefit of the total US economy.
Today, a comprehensive global perspective must be through a multi-faceted lens to be effective. A global perspective means being open to new ideas, issues and solutions across cultural, geographical and economic differences. Often times, it even means being open to changing the way things are done and finding new systems that work better. It means being culturally sensitive and willing to learn from others. By having a global perspective, an ability to learn from others, generation of, new options and opportunities will open up. It shapes how one perceives and understands their own identity and the identity of people they interact with, and begin to better understand what goes into shaping culture. A global mindset also encompasses the understanding of globalization and how interconnected each region of the world is economically, politically, and socially and how this impacts our collective security. The US and the broader world around it need to develop new and powerful solutions to insure maritime security recognizing that we are faced with new technological and institutional challenges. Global perspective is critical for current and future Kings Pointers to be able to grow and conceive new ideas in ways that others cannot because they don’t understand this concept.
KP ‘69ERs Survey Responses to “KP Global Perspective, KP Activities and Training benefit us throughout our lives ”:
INSTITUTIONAL ACTIVITIES PROFESSIONAL SEA YEAR SPORTS ENGINEERING FRIENDSHIPS BAND SAILING REGIMENTAL SAVANNAH PROGRAM PLANNING INDOCTRINATION TEAMWORK CHALLENGES WORK ETHIC
As continually shown in the responses of KP ‘69ers their global perspective gained during Sea Year benefited them, their organizations and our country for 50 years. We live in a globalized world. If one wants to be successful, it’s vital to see and understand how the world works and how we are all interconnected through trade, media, the Internet, travel and politics. Broadening your sense of normal, your idea of how to interact with others, seeing a company operate in different regions of the world… all of these things are hugely beneficial to being employable in the 21st century.
26 Today the midshipmen’s impacts and benefits from Sea Year are much less than when KP ‘69ers went to sea. KP’s administration must address the shortfall that exists today when today’s midshipmen need a higher level of global perspective than ‘69ers received. But how are a global understanding and the type of global perspective gained by sailing within today’s limited US Merchant Marine and further how can KP’s Mission be wholeheartedly achieved? First, midshipmen must recognize that they are GLOBAL CITIZENS. Recognizing their role is paramount! The hallmarks of a Kings Pointers’ global perspective are awareness of self in a global supply chain context and recognizing their role in organizations as global leaders within our government, businesses, and organizations. These will continue to be critical!
Second, the KP administration cannot be passive just relying on past Sea Year glories. Is KP’s administration ready to address the current and future challenges of creating a Global Perspective? Courses, seminars, workshops, online experiences with competitive distant teamwork opportunities are normal in Semester-at-Sea courses but are not available to KP midshipmen. KP midshipmen need to be better than world class. A new business model of Sea Year is needed by midshipmen to explore the new depths of globalization to be faced in the next 50 years.
ELIMINATE MIDSHIPMEN’S USE OF TOBACCO
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 480,000 Americans every year. Tobacco use takes an enormous toll on the health and physical fitness of active duty U.S. military personnel and veterans, because this population smokes at dramatically higher rates than the rest of the U.S. population. According to a recently published study, only 4.6 percent of military exchanges in 2013 were within 5 percent of prices at the community comparison and thus in compliance with the DoD’s Instruction. On average, cigarette prices on military exchanges were nearly 13 percent lower than in the community’s local Walmart. Savings on some military installations were substantially high, with the top savings for cigarettes approaching $6 per pack between one military academy and the nearest Walmart. Pricing strategies such as these contradict the DoD’s goals to “communicate to service members that tobacco use is detrimental to health and readiness.” Instead, deep discounts on tobacco products encourage service members to start using tobacco. Of the current military members who smoke, 36 to 40 percent started smoking after joining the military. Price discounts also discourage quitting. In 2011, nearly one- quarter (24.5%) of light/moderate smokers and 15.5 percent of heavy smokers in the military reported that increasing cigarette prices to match those outside the installation would deter their cigarette smoking.
Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Tobacco use is addictive and is responsible for more than one of every five deaths in the United States. Effective school-based programs to prevent tobacco use are equally important for both male and female midshipmen. From 1975 to 1987, daily smoking rates among 12th-grade females were as high or higher than males.
Our first recommendation is that the Academy discontinues the sale of tobacco to discourage initiation among midshipmen, encourage current users to quit, and strengthen the military’s tobacco control efforts. Academy programs designed to prevent tobacco use could become one of the most effective strategies available to reduce tobacco use in the United States. 27 Academy-based programs offer an opportunity to prevent the initiation of tobacco use and therefore help persons avoid the difficulties of trying to stop after they are addicted to nicotine.
Second, we recommend that KP develop and enforce an Academy policy on tobacco use; • An explanation of the rationale for preventing tobacco use (i.e., tobacco is the leading cause of death, disease, and disability); • Prohibitions against tobacco use by midshipmen, all school staff, parents, and visitors on Academy property, in KP vehicles, and at KP-sponsored functions away from the Academy; • Prohibitions against tobacco advertising in Academy buildings, at functions, and in publications; • A requirement that all Academy receive instruction on avoiding tobacco use; • Provisions for midshipmen and all Academy staff to have access to programs to help them quit using tobacco • Procedures for communicating the policy to midshipmen, all staff, parents or families, visitors, and the community • Provisions for enforcing the policy.
Finally, we recommend the Academy develop and provide instruction about the short- and long-term negative physiologic and social consequences of tobacco use, social influences on tobacco use, peer norms regarding tobacco use, and refusal skills to all members of the Academy community. Successful programs to prevent tobacco use address multiple psychosocial factors related to tobacco use:
• Immediate and long-term undesirable physiologic, cosmetic, and social consequences of tobacco use. Programs should help midshipmen understand that tobacco use can result in decreased stamina, stained teeth, foul-smelling breath and clothes, exacerbation of asthma, and ostracism by nonsmoking peers. • Social norms regarding tobacco use. Programs should use a variety of educational techniques to decrease the social acceptability of tobacco use, highlight existing anti- tobacco norms, and help midshipmen understand that most adolescents do not smoke. • Reasons that adolescents say they smoke. Programs should help midshipmen understand that some adolescents smoke because they believe it will help them be accepted by peers, appear mature, or cope with stress. Programs should help midshipmen develop other more positive means to attain such goals. • Social influences that promote tobacco use. Programs should help midshipmen develop skills in recognizing and refuting tobacco-promotion messages from the media, adults, and peers. • Behavioral skills for resisting social influences that promote tobacco use. Programs should help midshipmen develop refusal skills through direct instruction, modeling, rehearsal, and reinforcement, and should coach them to help others develop these skills. • General personal and social skills. Programs should help midshipmen develop necessary assertiveness, communication, goal setting, and problem-solving skills that may enable them to avoid both tobacco use and other health risk behaviors.
28 BENEFITS OF LISTENING TO ALUMNI
Our classmates reached the pinnacles of success in fields they have pursued. Notable class examples have founded businesses, been presidents and senior leaders in not only the maritime but also is a diversity of industries, they have been highly ranked government officials, ran for elected offices and have achieved high ranks in military service. We have competed in the global economy and have succeeded. Our class now wants to assist future Kings Pointers in their quest to compete against maritime competitors like China in its bid to become the most dominant marine shipping country by 2030 with its research into autonomous ship.
KP ‘69ers have Experience at the Highest levels of Organizational Leadership
INDUSTRY POSITIONS Marine Owner/CEO/Director/President/District Manager/Program Manager/Manager Military Captain, Colonel, Commander Engineering Founder/Owner/President/VP/Project Manager Sales VP Education Dead Insurance President Legal Advisor/Senior VP/Group Leader/Partner DOD Division Chief/Captain/Commander/Wing Leader Medical Chairman/Senior Director/Dentist/ Technology Owner/CEO/President Government State Senator/Senate Staff NGO President Environmental Owner/VP Power Gen President/Senior VP Justice Assistant Director
CLOSING REMARKS:
Thank you Kings Point for creating the opportunities for us to join the fellowship of KP alumni, to form the lifelong friendships, build cherished memories, and gain a global perspective that has assisted us for these 50 years. This one of a kind education ensured we were relevant the first day on the job, training us to succeed in all situations. The Academy MOTTO is the guiding principal we embraced leading us to success while living through a series of challenging economic transformations. Facing these dramatic obstacles we tried our best to honor our MISSION, we strove to satisfy our obligation. Our first choice was always the US Merchant Marine afloat or ashore. Please accept this document as a testament to our desire to make KP, its community and most of all the midshipmen the best they can be in the service to our great nation.
Even our classmates who found their professions to be far from an officer in the merchant marine have utilized their marine transportation training to make huge impacts on the nation and world around them, Quoting a MD ‘69er; “As a transportation professional, I helped design, implement, program and manage the Critical Care Air Transport Teams for evacuating critical
29 casualties to higher levels of care. Literally thousands of young Americans are alive today because of the success of CCATT”.
The global perspective that permeated life at KP made lasting impacts on us. A typical survey response from one 69’er was his explanation of how his transportation training benefited our country. He stated, “International exposure to the world via sea year and direct exposure to the practical realities of working as an officer on a vessel in international trade”, lead directly to his success. Another KP 69er expressed it as “interest in offshore stuff led to 30+ year career in various offshore industries”.
KP ‘69ers have completed their careers and desire the Academy takes their lessons as a means to benefit todays midshipmen in their next 50 years. Our lives as alumni started with recessions, significant declines in the US merchant marine fleet, and in the 1st Industrial Revolution with steam powered boomed ships and ended in the 4th Industrial Revolution on the brink of autonomous transportation platforms. We have experienced transformations and prospered primarily because of the Academy’s motto “ACTA NON VERBA”. Our experience and recommendations are dedicated to the future success of the Academy and midshipmen in revitalizing the rightful role of the US merchant marine in the largest economic nation in the world: the United States of America.
To achieve this goal the Academy is required to breach seemingly impenetrable global barriers, overcome urgent immense challenges and seek out unique opportunities. In the last fifty years these have not been achieved, and our nation finds itself with less than 100 Jones Act eligible ocean vessels while the global fleet is around 52,000 vessels. The Academy needs to now take its motto “ACTA NON VERBA” as its mantra and reverse KP’s falling down the cliff whose bottom is extinction. You are not alone. We are impatient for KP’s next adventure to begin. We are ready to answer the bells of full speed ahead!
Postscript: Foreign Affairs (2019): “The world today needs a new framework for global cooperation in order to preserve peace and accelerate progress.” Baby Boomers grew up as television expanded dramatically, changing their lifestyles and connection to the world in fundamental ways. Generation X grew up as the computer revolution was taking hold, and Millennials came of age during the Internet explosion. What is unique for Generation Z is that all of the above have been part of their lives from the start. The iPhone launched in 2007, when the oldest Gen Z'ers were 10. By the time they were in their teens, the primary means by which young Americans connected with the web was through mobile devices, Wi-Fi and high-bandwidth cellular service. Social media, constant connectivity and on-demand entertainment and communication are innovations Millennials adapted to as they came of age. For those born after 1996, these are largely assumed. (PEW RESEARCH, 2019)
In 2016, a study by McKinsey & Company calculated that “digital flows—which were practically nonexistent just 15 years ago30 — now exert a larger impact on GDP growth than the centuries-old trade in goods.”