Lewes’ Christopher Marshall starts Merchant Marine Academy

Christopher Marshall of Lewes was recently sworn in as a midshipman in the U.S. Naval Reserve at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y.

Marshall was nominated to the elite federal service academy by Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester.

The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a federal service academy that educates and graduates licensed merchant marine officers. In addition to the rigorous academic and physical requirements for admission, applicants must be nominated by their congressman or senator.

It is one of five federal service academies, which include the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn.

All graduates earn both a bachelor of science degree and a merchant marine officer license, and incur an obligation to serve the country as an active or reserve officer in the U.S. armed forces.

The U.S. Flag Merchant Marine - manned by U.S. merchant mariners - is essential for securing the country’s commerce in peacetime and delivering warfighters, weapons and military supplies in times of conflict. The majority of Kings Pointers will serve as Navy reservists in the Strategic Sealift Officer Program while working aboard U.S. flag vessels; others will serve on active duty in the nation’s armed forces.

As part of his four-year education, Marshall will spend one year training as a cadet aboard oceangoing vessels. USMMA is the only federal academy where students train on commercial vessels traveling around the globe.