OPINION:
It is 2 p.m. on a Tuesday at the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and I am watching midshipmen march across our waterfront campus in Kings Point, New York.
As future officers preparing to lead in our military and commercial maritime fleets, these men and women are being shaped to serve our country with the same dedication as cadets at West Point or midshipmen at the Naval Academy.
China is aggressively pursuing global maritime dominance, making America’s sea power more crucial than ever. Our nation is expanding its shipyards and investing in its commercial ports, but we cannot forget to invest in the mariners who crew the fleet.
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Eighty-three years ago, at the height of World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Kings Point to ensure that critical military supplies reached troops fighting on foreign shores. Our midshipmen answered the call, and 142 paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.
When the war ended, Kings Pointers kept our supply lines strong by crewing the commercial ships that delivered American goods to global markets.
Today, Kings Point produces 80% of the U.S. Navy’s strategic sealift officers, who deliver military supplies around the world — a commitment proved recently when 13 Kings Point midshipmen serving aboard the USNS Kanawha and USNS William McLean shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to those crews during Operation Epic Fury.
It was the first time in the Military Sealift Command’s 77-year history that any of its civilian-crewed ships received the honor.
Equally vital is our role in commercial shipping. With 80% of the world’s goods moving by water, merchant mariners are the backbone of America’s supply lines. Economic security is national security, and Kings Point is training the future patriots who will protect America’s maritime dominance in peace and conflict.
Service and sacrifice are woven into our fabric at Kings Point. Yet if you walked our grounds today, you would see the deteriorating conditions our midshipmen have to endure to train for their mission. Young men and women preparing to operate cutting-edge, automated vessels and to serve in our armed forces have been living and learning in facilities that have not been upgraded since the Truman administration.
To ensure that our midshipmen are prepared to sail and lead in the 21st century, we must modernize the campus.
We have already made progress. Thanks to the leadership of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, we have cut through the red tape, partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and focused on fixing critical utilities and accelerating long-overdue repairs.
These quick wins are vital first steps, but they mark the beginning of a long road.
To build an academy worthy of the midshipmen who study here, we must execute our 10-year campus modernization plan. This once-in-a-generation initiative will overhaul dilapidated barracks, construct state-of-the-art navigation simulators and modernize aging academic labs.
The effort is about far more than replacing old buildings. It is an investment in American sea power, economic security and future generations of maritime leaders.
Since World War II, Kings Point has answered America’s call without hesitation. As we celebrate 83 years of service, we are grateful to Mr. Duffy and our partners in Congress for answering our call. They are helping us build a modern, world-class campus to ensure that Kings Point — and our nation — remain ready for generations to come.
As superintendent, I could not be prouder of this institution and the patriots who train here.
Happy 83rd birthday, Kings Point!
• Rear Adm. Anthony J. Ceraolo is the 15th superintendent of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
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