if - US Merchant Marine Academy

The Voice of the Regiment
United States Merchant Marine Academy
November -December 2012
Since 1943
Midshipmen gather for a safety briefing before joining the relief effort in the Rockaways on Monday, November 12. In total, over 200 plebes and midshipmen spent the day
assisting the people of Queens in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The Plebe Class also worked to clear the trails of Kings Point Park as part of their service project.
“Acta” of Kindness
West Point Student Conference
At the Waterfront
By MIDN Joshua Asaro, Staff Writer
By MIDN Dustin Downing, Staff Writer
By MIDN Patrick Minnick, RWO
Allow me to be among the first to admit that if you
had told me a few weeks after returning from sea that I
would be spending the last day of my first long weekend
back at the Academy being marched through the streets of
New York by a former enlisted Seabee, I would have
asked you what you had purchased from the slop chest.
I’m not sure any of us expected to return to such an injured state which acted as the scene for one of the most
devastating natural disasters in recent memory. I’m not
sure that if asked that I would have believed much could
be done in the way of help upon seeing doomsday images
that circulated in the national media in the days following
the strike of Super storm Sandy. However, on Monday,
November 12th, I was privileged to witness a selfless sacrifice of time by many members of the Regiment of Midshipmen at Kings Point. This changed my mind on that
matter and frankly, changed the minds and hopes of many
people upon seeing this blue-clad cadre move together
down tattered streets in hopes of restoring houses and
hope for victims of Sandy.
Read More, Page 3
Midshipmen Travel
the World!
TRAVEL, Pages 8 & 9
The 64th Student Conference on United States
Affairs found itself playing host to two Kings Point Midshipmen and students from around the world to gauge
“American Priorities in the Age of Austerity”. Hundreds
of Liberal Arts majors converged on historic West Point
to discuss 16 different topics put forth by the Eisenhower
institute (a Washington think tank) ranging from SinoAmerican relations to Arms Control and Proliferation.
We Engineers felt out of place from the get go, but were
sent to represent the Merchant Marine opinion, so we
dove in with gusto. For three days we discussed our assigned topics with field experts and our peers—with our
peers being exposed to three days of Military Academy
living. Chow calls each morning (a West Point plebe
ritual) woke these civilian students early for their fully
scheduled days, and we Mariners were free to be amused
by such awakenings.
The laughter was short-lived as the groups reconvened; I was plunged into the world of Cyber Security
and for hours a day tried to understand the language these
Poli Sci majors already spoke fluently. After understanding the lingo, I was finally able to submit opinions with
our own international studies in mind. The value of this
education became apparent as others struggled with concepts such as foreign law and technicalities of sovereignty, and was able to lend a sense of practicality to the idealism of those who have not been outside of the classroom.
Our findings over the course of those three days
were to be presented in a paper to the Institute and a skit
for our fellow attendees. This provided us with an excuse
to hack faculty and staff from the event, culminating with
a colonel being very embarrassed to see his own credit
card information. When the dust settled and the groups
had shown their findings, each attendee had gained a little more perspective of both their peers and the world.
Exploring Mars
CURRENT EVENTS, Pages 4 & 5
Mariner’s Basketball off
to a Great Start!
SPORTS, Page 14
The Hidden Harbor Tour:
As always, this year’s Hidden Harbor Tour was
a great success. It was our pleasure this year to have the
following guests aboard our annual Holiday training trip:
Professor Nagy Hussein, Lt. Schneider, Mr. Campbell,
Capt. Kennedy and his wife, RADM Helis and his wife,
Ms. Ross, and Ms. Harding. It was a great opportunity for
them to observe our midshipmen in their element, navigating a ship through one of the busiest harbors in the
world.
Everyone was aboard the T/V Liberator at 0715
for a pre-departure safety and familiarization briefing.
There was TM food for the Midshipmen as well as any
snacks, donuts, and bagels that were brought by our great
guests. We also served hot coffee and cider in the Galley.
We departed from Flag Landing Saturday at 0730, undocking under the guidance of Plebe Zubchevich, an engineer. We made our way down river enjoying the beautiful morning and the scenic Manhattan skyline. We proceeded through the Buttermilk and around Governors
Island, witnessing the lone container terminal on Long
Island. We then crossed the Bay Ridge Flats to Staten
Island to circle around the Kennedy, Mass. Maritime’s
training ship. After a little exploring in the Kills, we
passed the Statue of Liberty and paid our respects. We
concluded the nautical part of the trip by docking at
North Cove Marina in the financial district. Here on September 11, 2001 and in the days following, midshipmen
from the Waterfront and Waterfront Staff assisted NYC
and NYFD members in moving personnel and supplies.
After pausing to reflect on this, we
walked a short distance to the 9/11
Memorial and received a private
tour.
Read More, Page 11
Midshipman Spotlight
KP PRIDE, Pages 12 & 13
Christmas Crossword
FUN and GAMES
Page 6
Page 2
Since 1943
Letter from the Editor
Dear Regiment, Faculty, Staff, Family, and Friends of the Academy,
Happy Holidays! The long-awaited and well-deserved Winter Break is finally
here! Of course, this also means that the end of the world, I mean, year, has arrived.
For my fellow 1st classmen, the light at the end of the tunnel aka graduation has just
gotten a lot brighter. The year of 2013 is our year and I, for one, am determined to
make the most of it.
Recently, the Change of Command ceremony took place and with a little hullabaloo over M/N Daniel Galginaitis as the new Regimental Commander, the 2 nd rotation of officers has taken command of the Regiment. Bolstered by the addition of all
sorts of newfangled positions, this new crop of officers are ready to lead us into the
New Year. I wish you guys all the luck.
In addition, I hope to address the concern of some midshipmen that this newspaper has failed to live up to its motto: Voice of the Regiment. If we have been unpardonably positive, then I admit part of the fault is mine. Despite more than three years here
and against all odds, I have somehow remained a relatively optimistic individual, and
for that, I apologize. I do not deny that life at KP isn’t a walk in the park; we learn that
fact the first time we step foot inside Vickery Gate. However, for some strange reason,
it appears that those who have written for the newspaper so far seem to see more rainbows and sunshine than most. If you disagree with our allegedly misplaced cheerfulness, I challenge you to put forth your own thoughts in the next issue. It is ultimately
your paper, in the end.
To that end, I will endeavor to survive the coming apocalypse and carry on with
the January 2013 issue, so please send in your articles. If you somehow find yourself
as a zombie, I urge you to be a literate one and to remain a steadfast patron of this
newspaper. Enjoy our November-December issue and with a bit of luck, we’ll see you
after the break!
We can be reached at www.hearthis@midshipman.usmma.edu or through our
FB page: www.facebook.com/kphearthis. Enjoy the Holidays!
Warm Regards,
M/N Sung Hyong, 1/C
Editor-In-Chief
HEAR THIS! STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS
Editor-in-Chief
M/N Sung K. Hyong, 2013
Layout Editor
M/N Tyler Driscoll, 2013
Department Heads
M/N Matthew Finlayson, 2013
M/N Ursula Holm, 2013
M/N Ian Holtzworth, 2013
M/N Michael Shep, 2013
M/N Erich Stumpel, 2013
M/N Timothy Rice, 2014
Staff Writers
M/N Sean Chang, 2013
M/N Dustin Downing, 2013
M/N James Flowers, 2013
M/N Biondi Phua, 2013
M/N Stefano Ritondale, 2013
M/N Joshua Asaro, 2015
Plebe Woodrow Buck, 2016
Plebe Constantine Rerras, 2016
Plebe Christopher Zwick, 2016
Plebe Kenneth Pressey, 2016
Plebe Alisha Sako, 2016
Photographer
M/N Michael Pluhowski, 2013
Freelance Contributors
M/N Spencer Fletcher, 2013
M/N Patrick Minnick, 2013
M/N Alexander Othmer, 2013
M/N Katie Schmidt, 2013
M/N Kevan Stoeckler, 2013
M/N Jessica Tyack, 2013
M/N Kristina Walz, 2014
M/N Kevin F. McHale, 2015
M/N Nicholas Sitter, 2015
Plebe Michelle Danhof, 2016
Special Mention: Elves!
Plebe Woodrow Buck, 2016
Plebe Timothy Parker, 2016
Plebe Alisha Sako, 2016
Plebe Jo Eun Seo, 2016
Faculty Advisors
Professor Jacques Szaluta
Professor Raymond Gardner
Artists/Cartoonists
M/N Nathaniel Miller, 2013
M/N Michael Kirk, 2014
M/N Jackie Hong, 2015
M/N Eric Izzo, 2015
Hear This! DISCLAIMER
This newspaper is published by the students of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
The views and opinions expressed do not represent in any way the official views of the United
States Merchant Marine Academy or its Administration.
USMMA
Page 3
Since 1943
On Saturday, December 8th, I witnessed
even more sacrifice on behalf of my fellow Kings Pointers and with each handful
of trash removed and each fallen branch
picked up, it became more and more evident to an ever-growing audience that
there are great things to come from the
regiment which resides just inside of
Vickery gate.
A trip into the streets of the
Rockaway project location showed just
how apocalyptic the storm must have
been. Just ten days after the storm struck
the area, houses were still flooded, entire
groups of buildings were stripped down
to framework and bricks, and hundreds if
not thousands of families were left with
nothing but a harsh reality and a large
clean-up. Those who had been there before us spoke of times right after the
storm in which boats were found in the
streets, sand everywhere, and electricity
yet to be restored to residents. As if the
disaster itself had not proven trying
enough, adverse weather conditions including snowfall further complicated
relief efforts. One volunteer said to a bus
full of band company plebes and midshipmen, “This is the first time I’ve gone
to a hurricane relief and had to shovel
snow!” The time to aid these people had
come and as the day would show, this
was certainly the group of people for the
job.
Eight bus-loads of plebes and
midshipmen departed from the Academy
grounds on the morning of Monday the
12th, 2012 for Floyd Bennett Field where
they met with an Army National Guard
unit led by a Kings Point graduate. After
a safety debriefing and issuance of protective equipment, the buses were sent
out to the site of the devastation.
Dropped off at a local church and led by
foot to a rendezvous area, each group met
up and signed waivers for Team Rubicon
(a disaster relief group which pairs up
veterans and civilians to work hand in
hand in order to form a more structured
approach to humanitarian work). Once
all the paperwork was complete, groups
of plebes and midshipmen were broken
down into “platoons,” assigned to a Rubicon team leader, and led to their specific workstations for the day. Depending
on which team one was assigned, tasks
ranged from shoveling out sand from
basements to carrying out moldy foods
from residents’ refrigerators. The group
of almost 300 Kings Pointers put in work
from 1100 to 1530, providing roughly
1125 hours of labor alongside Team Rubicon and other groups.
Taking only the manual labor
into account, the day was a success, but
what truly made this day special was the
message of hope spread to everyone in
the area. As midshipmen got off the buses, people clapped and cheered, seemingly everyone said thanks for showing up,
and certainly every household which got
a Kings Point volunteer group will not
soon forget that this extraordinary group
of people came to their aid on this day.
Days after waters ran through these walkways, a sea of boiler suit-clad volunteers
took to the streets not only to work, but
also to show that the United States Merchant Marine Academy cares and is
ready to serve. This was certainly not an
idea foreign to a Regiment that claims the
only battle standard of all five federal
Academies.
On a day when the camera
crews were present and pictures were
taken every step of the way, that day
when the “jewel” of the academies
shined so bright, the picture which was
taken by a disposable camera may very
well be its defining moment. After completely tearing down and removing from
the basement rotten drywall from their
assigned house, band company plebes
posed for a picture with their midshipman leaders and former Navy Seabee
Team Rubicon partner as per the request
USMMA
of the house owner. Producing an oldschool disposable camera, this woman
took a few pictures to “put up on the wall
in her new apartment” once everything
was settled, so that she would always
remember the group that came to help her
in time of need. Ladies and gentlemen,
that reaches far beyond a recognition
step.
Speaking or recognition steps
we cannot overlook the community service required of all plebe classes in cleaning up Kings Point Park. Saturday, December 8th, on the afternoon of the first
Class B inspection of the trimester,
plebes found themselves
Read More, Page 9
What is a Hero?
By MIDN Dustin Downing, Staff Writer
As a nation, we’re taught who is
a hero: our soldiers who have earned
medals, our firefighters and police, the
pioneers spitting in the face of diversity…but you will not hear any of that
from these exemplary people.
The American Veteran’s Association brought together soldiers, seamen,
airmen, and Marines from across the
country and spanning wars from the last
60 years for one purpose: “To Bring the
Greatest Generation to the Latest Generation”. Young Marines, Sea Cadets,
colleges from across the country, and
every Academy had the opportunity to
listen to those who had gone before.
They all had different experiences, but
most had the same thing to say. The
Montford Point Marines (first black
marines), Doolittle Raiders, two Medal
of Honor awardees (an army specialist
and a three star USMC General), and
countless others said “I am not a hero—they are”. “They” being the Navy that
shelled the covered position, the soldiers
and Marines on the ground that gave the
pilots confidence, and the buddies left
behind—anything and anyone but the
man in the chair speaking.
These were truly the members of
the Greatest Generation and they
brought not just refreshing, but tear jerking, humility to extreme circumstances.
They fought in WWII, Korea, Vietnam,
Desert Storm and Shield, but they all
seemed cut from the same cloth: all had
a story to tell. We attendees could do
nothing but sit, shocked, and listen to
some of the most heroic actions be
glazed over with “I was just doing my
job”. So what is a hero? Who is a hero?
I’d argue the true heroes are the ones
who could never believe they really are.
www.delionthegreen.greatneck@gmail.com
Page 4
Since 1943
USMMA
The Little-Known Giants of the Oil Industry
By MIDN Biondi Phua, Staff Writer
Most of you have heard of the big oil companies
- ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, etc. But have you
heard of companies such as Schlumberger, Baker
Hughes, Halliburton? Even for myself, I had not heard
of these companies until a friend from back home shared
with me his internship experience at Schlumberger in
China this past summer. And recently I read an article in
The Economist which provided me further knowledge
about such companies. The article started off by talking
about “directional drilling”- a technique used in the energy business to drill for oil, and recently a section mate
of mine, Tyler Hand, presented on this topic for a project in our Ocean Engineering class. That was how I
drew my inspiration to write a little something on these
huge multinational oil firms.
Well, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Halliburton,
etc. - these are oilfield services (OFS) firms which provide very essential services to the big oil companies that
you and I know of. The Economist termed them the
“unsung workhorses of the oil industry,” and rightfully
so. They do most of the work involved in finding and
extracting oil and gas, but are far less well-known than
the oil firms that hire them. They have grown to be immensely big and wield tremendous power in the oil industry such that the oil business is likely to grow even
more dependent on these OFS firms with the technological know-how.
Before the 1990s, most of the OFS firms were far
smaller than the big oil companies which hired them.
They were much less lucrative doing the menial straightforward tasks like drilling vertical wells. They started
growing exponentially when several oil companies decided to outsource drilling to these OFS firms since
drilling yielded such low profit margins. The OFS firms
grew even faster and bigger in the early 1990s when
easy oil was no longer available, driving demand for
new technology. This led to breakthroughs in 3D seismology and directional drilling, allowing oil to be extracted economically from deeper wells beneath the
ocean floor and exploration over a wider area from a
drilling rig at a single position. The big OFS firms hold
the crucial patent applications to such new technology
and as such these brainy corporations have grown to be
very big and immensely lucrative. In hindsight, the oil
companies’ decision to outsource the “dirtier” and more
menial tasks has had enormously negative repercussions.
They have given up a huge slice of the pie while also
leaving themselves hostage to these OFS firms that possess the increasingly expensive and sought-after services
and technology.
To give you a little more knowledge, OFS firms
can be grouped under three main categories. Some manufacture and sell the expensive equipment used on the
rigs and for drilling. Others own and lease out drill-rigs,
of which the big ones can cost up to half a million dollars a day to rent. These companies include Transocean,
Seadrill, etc. The third category of OFS firms actually
executes the tasks of finding and extracting the oil. The
market is dominated by four giants: Schlumberger,
Baker Hughes, Halliburton, and Weatherford International. If you cannot remember all four, at least remember Schlumberger, the biggest one of them all. And pronounce it right- it goes like this: “shlum-ber-jay.”
The Arctic
By MIDN Stefano Ritondale, Staff Writer
The Arctic, a land of mystery and
exploration, has always been considered an
area unreachable by man and a destination
few could imagine had any possibility of
success. The search for resources and safe
passages through the Artic has been a conquest in which many have failed and even
perished. The 21st century though has
brought a new interest in the Artic and may
soon usher in a golden age for this region.
Due to the effects of global warming and advances in technology, areas once
considered inaccessible to man can now be
fully reached. There are two main areas in
which the international community has
interest in the Arctic: natural resources and
the Northwest Passage.
A study conducted by the United
States Geological Survey estimates that the
arctic region has about 22% of the world’s
oil and natural gas resources and now because of high oil prices and advances in oil
drilling, the arctic region has the possibility
of becoming one of the largest producers
of hydrocarbons in the world. If these resources can be reached, the economical
and geopolitical benefits would be enormous from revenues and economic growth
to energy independence. Other resources of
importance are minerals, such as gold and
zinc, fishing, and fresh water in which
Greenland itself is estimated to have about
10% of the world’s fresh water reserve. Another important economic opportunity that has arisen recently is that of
Arctic tourism which has exploded to tens
of thousands of visitors every year.
The Northwest Passage is a sea
route that connects the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean through the Arctic Ocean.
The Northwest Passage is 7,000 kilometers
shorter than the current shipping route
through the Panama Canal. That amounts
to about two weeks saved in travelling
time. From London to Tokyo via the canal,
the distance is about 23,000 kilometers
while travelling east through the Suez
Canal is also longer at 21,000 kilometers.
The route through the passage is just
16,000 kilometers. The amount of fuel
and distance saved can revolutionize the
shipping industry and save billions of
dollars in international trade.
The Arctic region with all its opportunities though is also a source of tension within the Arctic nations. The United
States, Canada, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Russia all claim sovereignty
over parts of this region. Even though a
military conflict is unlikely, (even less so
considering that all the nations except
Russia are part of NATO) many are beef-
ing up their militaries to ensure their
claims are not violated. Russia is seen as
the most aggressive in asserting its claims
and in 2007, a Russian submarine planted
its flag in the Arctic seabed. So far, these
nations have formed the Arctic Council, an
intergovernmental organization used to
solve problems that might arise in a diplomatic manner. Also, the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Seas
(UNCLOS) is an international agreement
that establishes the premise for territorial
claims and practices within the world’s
oceans and can serve as a guideline to
solve potential maritime disputes (the United States is a signatory of the treaty but has
not yet ratified it).
Other areas of concern that must be
addressed are environmental protection as
well as indigenous rights. The arctic region
for centuries has served as the homeland
for many native tribes, and it is the obligation of the international community as well
as their host nations to ensure that their
way of life is not affected by the changes
this region will suffer. Furthermore, with
the BP oil spill fresh on everyone’s mind,
it is imperative that strict environmental
rules are in place to prevent any man-made
disasters such as the Exxon Valdez incident.
In the coming years and decades,
the Arctic region will no longer be considered the isolated place it once was. As future leaders in this nation with our distinct
knowledge of the maritime world, it is important to note the changes the Arctic is
going through since it will most likely have
a direct impact on many of our lives.
Page 5
Since 1943
USMMA
Exploring Mars: Curiosity and
Spacecraft Power Systems
By MIDN James Flowers, Staff Writer
Imagine sending a human being an incredible distance of 33.9 million miles, the
closest distance from the Earth to Mars. Can it be done? How long will it take? Before
we get too ahead of ourselves, can we try sending a robot to explore and discover? In
fact, it has already been done seven times. Failed attempts were the USSR’s Mars 2
and Mars 3, which lost communication 20 seconds after landing, and England’s Beagle
2. The successful rovers were NASA’s Sojourner (landed 1997), Spirit and Opportunity, both landing in 2004, and just recently on August 6 th, Curiosity.
Prior to Curiosity, Opportunity was the only rover still exploring. However, its
power supply is the only thing stopping it from reaching a decade-long journey. The
rover relies on solar energy to provide up to 140 watts of energy for up to four hours in
one Sol, or one Martian day (about 1.027 earth days). However, Opportunity is losing
its available power due to accumulated dust on top of its solar arrays. Regardless, it has
almost roved a full marathon and is now at its twenty-third mile navigating 50 times
further than originally planned.
Even though the Opportunity rover has been more than successful, NASA does
not want to play around anymore with a delicate power system. Its new Mars rover,
Curiosity, as part of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission launched towards
Mars on November 26th, 2011, made a soft landing nine months later on August 5 th,
2012. It became the most complex interplanetary landing in the history of space exploration and was a relief for an ecstatic team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in
Pasadena, California.
The MSL team produced the very first rover to run on a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, or RTG, instead of the usual display of solar panels and lithium ion
batteries aboard all other Mars rovers. This was not the first time an RTG has been
used. Many satellites have been utilizing its heat as a source energy including the Cassini Satellite launched in 1997, lasting nearly 15 years now, and it is still exploring the
Saturnian System. Most recently, it did a flyby of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, uncovering explanations for scientists wondering why it is the only moon in the solar system
to contain an atmosphere.
The RTG model aboard Curiosity is the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, or MMRTG, and it is used to power the rover. JPL decided that using
the MMRTG would provide a more flexible range of operation of the rover due to its
high-energy demand to navigate difficult, varying terrain and to utilize the ten scientific
instruments on board. The MMRTG is designed to be used in either the vacuum of
space, as in today’s satellites, or within the atmosphere of a planet.
The MMRTG produces heat through the nuclear decay of the isotope, Plutonium
-238 (Pu-238), as its general purpose heat source (GPHS). This excess heat is then utilized through use of the Seebeck effect. When a high temperature differential, heat produced from the decay of the Pu-238 and the cold of the Martian atmosphere (which has
an average atmospheric temperature of about -63°C), is produced across two different
thermoelectric metals a magnetic field is produced and in turn, an electric current. Thermocouples contain two different electrically conducting plates. Joining these two metals
and forming a closed circuit, an electric current is created as long as the two metals are
kept at different temperatures. Curiosity carries about 10.6 pounds of Pu-238, producing
110 watts of electrical power.
The MMRTG has an efficiency of only about 6 to 7 percent. However, the halflife of Pu-238 is about 88 years, meaning that Curiosity can remain powered and perform plenty of scientific exploration and discovery for many years to come. MSL’s mission is to have the rover spend about 1 Martian year, or 687 earth days, on Mars. To put
things in perspective, RTG’s are so highly reliable that over the 300 years of the combined time of RTG’s operation (the first one having been built in the late 1950’s), not a
single thermocouple connected to any RTG has ever ceased to produce power.
JPL recently finished software updates for Curiosity and has already completed
various test drives. More recently, the rover has taken its first look using its alpha particle x-ray spectrometer to analyze a 16-inch rock. It is now roving its way over to its
primary mission zone, Gale Crater, to explore the Martian surface and climate and
search for any signs of microbial life as well as habitability studies for future human
exploration.
Violence Flares Up Once More in
the Gaza Strip
By MIDN Kevin F. McHale, 3/C
On 14 November 2012, the Israeli Defense Forces launched Operation Pillar of Defense in the Gaza Strip. The mission was to retaliate against the Gaza-based Islamist group
known as Hamas for launching rockets once again into Israeli territory. According to Isabel
Kershner of the New York Times, the first day of the operation saw approximately 20 targets
attacked by aerial forces of the IDF. During the attacks, key Hamas military leader Ahmed alJabari was killed, prompting much outrage in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, an Islamist militant group now in control of the Gaza Strip, vowed revenge and started
launching hundreds of rockets a day into Israel. According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, nearly 1500 rockets were launched by Hamas until a ceasefire was declared on the
21st of November at 2100 hrs.
Outrage was voiced in the international community by Arab and some western countries over what was viewed as brutal Israeli aggression. The conflict only raised tensions further with Israel’s Arab neighbors at a time where instability reigns in surrounding countries. Syria’s conflicts spilled over into the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, and protests are
once again on the rise in Egypt.
A key difference between this conflict and previous battles is the presence of Israel’s Iron
Dome missile defense system. The Iron Dome system is tasked with defending against inbound missiles and mortars. In this conflict, the Iron Dome was used to great effect; an estimated 50% of all missiles launched were downed prior to hitting populated areas. The other
50% were missiles deemed less dangerous as they were projected to hit desert areas with little
to no population.
Prior to the Arab Spring revolutions, such conflicts found Egypt as a mediator between
Israel and the Gaza Strip. With the ousting of Hosni Mubarak, and the election of the Islamist
President Mohamed Morsi, the international community waited to see what role Egypt would
play. Egypt did propose a ceasefire plan, which Israel and Hamas agreed to on 21 November
at 2100 hours.
While the international community praised the cease fire, nervous eyes were cast on
two developments that could cause the violence to ignite again. The Palestinian bid for recognition in the United Nations, long met with disapproval and threats by Israel and the United
States, was partially successful in late November. On 29 November, Palestinian President
Mahmud Abbas put forward a motion to the UN General Assembly on Palestinian state recognition. While the US, Israel and its allies voted no on this motion, the majority ruled and Palestine was awarded “Observer State” status. This upgraded status can lead to greater involvement in UN agencies, as well as opening a door to future Palestinian statehood according to
BBC.
Israel also increased tensions by announcing its plan to start building settlements once
more in lands claimed by Palestinians. This is not an unusual occurrence in and of itself, as
settlement disputes are a common cause of conflict. The collective opinion of the world is that
this announcement is provocative, as well as poorly timed in the face of world events.
The international ramifications of these events have been clearly seen in Israel’s foreign relations. Fox News reported that many of Israel’s European Union allies, with the exception of
the Czech Republic, voted in favor of upgraded Palestinian UN status. This obvious fracture
in relations raises many questions about the future dynamic in Israeli foreign affairs.
Page 6
What do snowmen eat for
breakfast?
Answer: Frosted flakes.
Since 1943
What is said by one snowman to the
other snowman?
Answer: Can you smell carrot?
USMMA
How do you know that Santa is a man?
Answer: No woman wears the same attire every
year.
Festival of Lights
Thursday Dec 20, 2012
at 1930 in the
Mariner’s Memorial Chapel
Page 7
Since 1943
The White Papers
Reprinted with Commentary
The White Paper was written in response to RADM Gordon McClintock’s
address to the midshipmen, where he inquired regarding the reason for unrest among
the Regiment. He only ever received positive reports from the Command Board
(made up of the Regimental Commander and Battalion Commanders) but perceived
that there was negative opinion among the ranks of the average midshipmen. This
paper explains to the Administration why the Regiment is upset and demands immediate, major reform in policy. This first reintroduction of the White Paper in 20122013 Hear This!, will demonstrate what midshipmen of the 1960s thought were the
biggest problems with Kings Point. Without further ado, the White Paper (13 January 1969):
Preamble:
“This paper is a comprehensive study and list of recommendations that the
Regiment of Midshipmen strongly feels require the attention of the Administration.
It is an explanation and categorization of the most obvious and the most evasive
problems that Kings Point is faced with…”
(To RADM Gordon McClintock – USMMA Superintendent)
“Sir Kings Point recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. The regiment of
Midshipmen feels that it is time for the Academy to emerge from necessity-born
practices instituted during the war into an atmosphere in keeping with a school designed to meet the needs of tomorrow.
To a man, the Regiment is dissatisfied with the systemized absurdity under
which we live. The medieval logic with which each of us is treated cannot be allowed to continue…Today, the midshipman feels…that, while his education is the
only justification for the very existence of the Academy, he is receiving a limited
education both professionally and academically…He wonders how he can, in good
faith, support a system that has been used as a weapon against him, how he can justify adhering to regulations that are circumvented by those very people charged with
their administration…He is willing, finally, to take any and all steps necessary for
the realization of those goals that he feels are vital to his education as a student and a
Merchant Marine Officer, and to his dignity as a man.
This memorandum, then, is a statement of those goals. It is the considered
position of the Regiment of Midshipmen that re-examination of the following must
be effected immediately if this institution is to become a school of higher education
in the true sense of the phrase. This is not a series of complaints; rather, it is a sincere attempt on the part of the men who live under this System to define its myriad
defects and to delineate some means of correcting them. Each of the following headings will first be described briefly and then explored more fully:
We question the validity of an educational system which demands that the midshipman become ‘educated’ and then burdens him with so many courses
that he survives academically only by brute force of memory. Rather than
feel enlightened after having completed a course, we feel only relieved…
that the course is over. We find that an attempt to actually learn is only a
waste of time and that cramming is the only way a man can pass a course…
grades are not relevant to what [we are] supposed to have learned.
We highly suspect the educational worth of the Regimental System as it is presently administered at Kings Point. As potential officers in the Merchant
Marine, we are appalled at the deficiencies apparent in the system designed
to train us for that position. We question whether we are being trained at
all, or are, in fact, merely being administered to for four years…We find the
causal factors in this situation to be a number of ill-advised and, in some
cases, even inept officers who feel little empathy for our chosen profession
and demonstrate little knowledge of it.
We feel strongly the lack of an effective class system at Kings Point…We find it
difficult to have any respect for a system that requires we respect those
placed in authority in the Class System when those Midshipmen themselves
are dealt with (sic) without respect by the Administration. We find it absurd
to live within the regulations of a system which tells us, if we live by the
regulations, we will enjoy the respect and benefits due an upperclassman –
while, at the same time, we see those men who should be enjoying those
benefits struggling to obtain them…
[Regarding the paying of m/n fees.]
We find a total lack of interest and respect for our views concerning the state of
the facilities at Kings Point. We are the men using and inhabiting the buildings and classrooms but we are neither listened to nor asked for opinions or
desires as to what needs improving…
Perhaps the primary discrepancy between stated and actual practice at Kings
Point is the largely theoretical powers of the Midshipman Council. The
Regiment feels very strongly that this organization is its only respresentative…The Council, however, is not really allowed to represent us and is,
therefore, merely a figurehead. We are suggesting that the powers of the
Council be more clearly defined in such a way as to enfranchise it as the
proper spokesman for the Regiment of Midshipmen…
We urge that our proposals be acted upon immediately. To deny the validity of
our arguments is to insure that the Academy be forever relegated to the
backwater of higher education and to make certain that Kings Pointers of
the future will feel, as we do, that they have not been adequately prepared
professionally…
These, then, are our major contentions. On the following pages we will examine each more closely, demonstrate their validity, and present the measures that
the Regiment feels are necessary for their successful resolution.
USMMA
West Point Wedding
By MIDN Katie Schmidt, 1/C
On December 1, 2012, the Kings Point Unity Club attended the marriage of Brenda Sue Fulton and Penelope (Penny) Dara Gnsein. Sue Fulton graduated from West
Point in 1980 as part of the first class of cadets to include women. Sue and Penny
were legally married at the West Point Cadet Chapel.
For 17 years, Sue and Penny have supported and loved each other through the ups
and downs of life. Together, Sue and Penny have stayed strong in love even through
breast cancer, the daily struggles of MS, hate mail, ignorance, and endless scrutiny.
They are living proof that love conquers all. They were together when the state of
NY legalized domestic partnerships, then when unions were legalized, they committed to each other again, and when civil unions were the law, they went to the courthouse to sign the papers. During the ceremony, the reverend proclaimed, “Now that
they’ve been domesticated, unionized, and civilized, it is exciting for them to finally
be married!”
The Kings Point Unity Club met Sue and Penny at the OutServe Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida this October. Four members of the Kings Point Unity
Club attended the conference, which included a number of informational seminars
and workshops that addressed issues such as: life in the military after the repeal of
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” current policies held by businesses and corporations such
as offering benefits to same-sex couples, and the current state and federal laws regarding same-sex marriage equality.
OutServe is an organization that started as an underground network of gay and
lesbian service members who were forced to keep their sexuality secret under “Don’t
ask Don’t tell” and worked on repealing the policy. After the repeal of “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell,” the group became public and continued to support gay and lesbian service members. They provide one of the largest LGBT employee resource groups in
the world and work to create an environment of respect in the military with regard to
sexual orientation and gender identity as well as working towards equal rights for
committed same-sex couples.
This conference was a very valuable leadership experience because we are all
going to be leaders in the future, whether it is in the military or private sector. It is
essential that we, as leaders, hold ourselves to the highest standards of respect and
integrity, and view people with equality no matter who they are or what they believe.
At the conference, we made quite the impression on Penny. It started uniquely in
the bathroom during a break between seminars when the door to the handicapped
stall was locked from the inside. One of the girls offered to crawl under the stall door
and unlock it for Penny, but Penny said “No, don’t do that, you’re in a dress and that
has got to be against the lesbian code.” Of course, this did not stop the midshipman
from crawling under the stall door anyway and from there a new friendship was
formed. We invited Penny to eat lunch with us. Penny joined the KPU club for lunch
and a few West Point Cadets joined us as well. Soon we were joined by Sue, Allyson
Robinson, the executive director of OutServe, and Jonathan Hopkins, the spokesperson director. We were naïve to the fact that the simple act of kindness, opening the
bathroom stall door, also opened the door to opportunity. We were quick to learn that
we had accidently became close and acquainted with some of the most inspirational
and dedicated individuals working towards fundamental fairness and equality.
At the reception, when Sue and Penny shared their first dance as a married couple, Sue lifted Penny, who has struggled with multiple scoliosis for the past 15 years,
out of her wheelchair and held her as they danced. There was nothing but love in
their eyes as they danced together, finally married.
Pictured above, from left to right: M/N Kate Radzwill, M/N Katie Schmidt,
Sue & Penny, M/N Jim Ensz, M/N Sarah Feldman, M/N Ben Evans, and West
Point Cadet Joseph Koning.
Crossword Answers for
October 2012 Issue:
Across
6. rouge
7. free surface
12. occulting
15. cable
16. Hear This
17. non displacement
18. Salty the Seagull
Down
1. cabotage
2. zephyr
3. backstay
4. bravo
5. Fulton
8. range
9. half breadth
10. finger
11. porthole
13. azimuth
14. seven
19. abeam
20. ahull
Page 8
Since 1943
USMMA
Names: Kevan Stoeckler, Jon Taylor, Michael Pluhowski
State: Alaska
City: Kodiak
For fall break this year, I took two of my friends, Jon Taylor
and Michael Pluhowski, up to Kodiak, Alaska to visit my two
brothers stationed there in the Coast Guard. During the week we
went hunting for Kodiak Brown Bear, hiking around the wilderness, and hung out at the local Kodiak Brewery. My oldest brother
(KP Alumni Class of ’03) gave us tours of the Coast Guard Airstation, and my other brother gave us tours of the USCGC Alex
Haley, a medium endurance cutter stationed there. Two days
after we left, my oldest brother bagged a 7 ½’ brown bear
that we had been stalking all week. This wasn’t my
first time up to Kodiak, and it definitely will not
be my last.
Finca Eduardo, Salento, Colombia
Midshipmen W
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"Alaskan Bush" of Kodiak
Compiled By MIDN Ian Holtzworth, Department Head
Name: Ian Holtzworth
Country: Colombia
Cities: Bogota, Armenia, Salento, Manizales
For many of us, our favorite part of sea year was the chance to travel
around the world. Not many people our age are afforded the opportunity to venture off to where we have been; fewer still have figured
out how to do it while bringing home a decent pay check. From Antarctica to Greenland, Latvia to Japan, and of course the Persian Gulf,
Kings Point cadets have covered the globe! While everyone sails the
When most people hear “Colombia,” thoughts immediately
stray to bricks of cocaine and guerilla rebels staging roadblocks and
snatching up tourists. The truth is, the times have changed and Colombia has really opened up as one of the best travel destinations in South
America. Over the course of my eight days I met plenty of great locals,
stayed on a coffee plantation, and even traversed a snow capped mountain (less than 4° from the equator!). While rebel activity still exists in
the south, tourists need to show some regard to safety and cultural considerations; however no more than any other place we have ventured
over sea year such as India or Egypt. The amazing scenery combined
with a daily budget of around $20 and a round trip ticket from NY
costing only $270, Colombia is definitely a place worth checking out!
Names: Jessica Tyack, Tara Mulligan, Amanda Gavrun
Country: Peru
Cities: All Over!
We all have different opinions on what the best parts of the trip
were, but I think it’s fair to say we all enjoyed Machu Picchu. We also
did a 4-day trek leading up to our day at Machu Picchu. It went through
the mountains and rainforest and came out in the little town just outside
of the site. It wasn’t the easiest backpacking trip, but we saw some
amazingly beautiful country! Definitely something we would love to do
again…maybe a rafting trip next time though.
Machu Picchu
Page 9
Since 1943
USMMA
Names: Michael Shep, Brandon Markey, Michael Tuttle, Richard
Kern, Geoffrey Polinder
Country: Ukraine
Cities: Kyiv, L’viv, Ternopil
I spent my Fall Break, along with four other First Class Midshipmen, touring the country of Ukraine and we thoroughly enjoyed what Ukraine had to offer. Ukraine has really come along
in their development after being a part of the Soviet Bloc. Western European cars, modern cell phones, and trendy fashion are
prominent in the cities. The people of this country are very
friendly to Americans. We noticed that striking up a conversation
is fairly easy due to the fact that Ukrainians, especially from the
more rural areas and younger generations, are intrigued with
chatting in English and actually putting their studies in school to
practical use. A vast majority of the older generations of Ukrainians do not speak English due to the fact that they were not taught
World Travels
Kyiv, Ukraine
the language in schools during Soviet times. Ukrainians, particularly in the
western part, which is where we toured, are very nationalistic and proud to
show Americans their country, consisting of numerous beautiful churches,
museums, and natural landscapes. They don’t call Ukraine the “breadbasket of
Europe” for nothing. Anyone interested in traveling and yearning for a unique
experience, travel to the lands of Eastern Europe, especially Ukraine, and you
will be pleased with your adventure.
Name: Erich Stumpel
Country: Australia
City: Sydney
oceans for at least a year, the traveling fun doesn’t need to stop once
you sign off your last ship. As soon as we graduate, we’ll have
months to see the sights, but in the meantime we are stuck on campus
laboring through our classes. This may be true; nonetheless, a number of midshipmen chose not to let that stop them from having some
autumn break adventures of their own accord!
Ayers Rock / Sydney Opera House
After getting the opportunity to see four ports in Australia during my
first sea year, I couldn’t help booking tickets to revisit such an amazing country. Within three weeks of signing on a tramp Ro/Ro vessel, our crew received news that we would be heading to Townsville, Brisbane, Port Kembla,
and Melbourne. All four ports greatly exceeded my expectations of Australia, and I was truly amazed by how much I loved the country.
Over the fall break I decided to visit a new city: Sydney. While there, I
stayed at a hotel that was only a 15 minute walk to Sydney Harbor, which
includes both the Sydney Opera House and the famous Sydney Harbor
Bridge. The waterfront is absolutely beautiful and is a must-see for anybody
with a passion for sailing, boating, and the ocean. The city has a rich heritage, much of it maritime, and has many museums, monuments, parks and art
galleries to see. I visited many of these, including the Australian Museum,
Australian National Maritime Museum, and Royal Botanical Gardens. One
of the highlights was seeing a concert in the Sydney Opera House, with very
talented musicians and great music.
After exploring the city, I ventured out for a two-day hike in what is
known as the Blue Mountain National Park. The mountains there are named
after the blue haze that covers them. Eucalyptus trees, which Koala Bears
inhabit, produce oil that evaporates in the surrounding air. When sunlight reflects off the evaporated oil, the result is a unique blue mist. Animal life is
plentiful, with native Australian species such as lyrebirds, kookaburra birds,
and echidnas. I was able to recognize many of the animals after an extensive
tour of the Sydney Wildlife Center, and was even able to hold some of them.
The hype about all the dangerous animals may seem to be over-dramatic
once you visit Australia. I started feeling this way when, sure enough, I encountered a venomous snake about ten feet away from me during my first
hike. I was able to recognize it from the Wildlife Center as a black snake,
which is relatively unaggressive. Still, I didn’t take any chances and quickly
backed away from it as it slithered across the trail.
I hope to visit Australia as often as possible in the future to visit all
parts of the country. For now, I am keeping in touch with my cousin from
Germany who is temporarily living in Melbourne on a visa. I visited her on a
side-trip from Sydney over the break, and talking about all her traveling experiences across Australia made me even more eager to see them for myself.
It may be a distant and expensive destination, but I’d use any opportunity I
had to be “down under” again.
Page 10
Since 1943
USMMA
Charly: A Short Story
By Plebe Alisha Sako, Staff Writer
Charly
was a girl (though we didn’t know it at first). She braved dire consequences to help out the soldiers at our base, and for that we are forever grateful.
The way we found Charly was not out of the ordinary – sadly, it was more common than one would think: she was sitting in a bombed-out shack on the
outskirts of a recently ravaged village. Blood was spattered on her boyish clothes and her cropped hair was full of dust; her family was no where to be seen. My
squad took Charly in – she soon became an indispensible addition to our team. “Charly” was definitely not her given name, but she never told us what it was.
The nameless little kid soon became known as “Charly” since improvised “Charly” stories were the currently popular pastimes for us.
My squad consisted of six people
(other than myself): Lt. Johnson (our leader, we called him LT for short), Parris, Smith, Villanueva, King (our radi-
oman), and, of course, Charly. Charly was a very energetic kid; she helped us prep our gear for the next day and – after several incidents in which she snuck out
after us – accompanied us on patrols (we figured that if she was with us, we could protect her better). Her abilities astounded us: she could do anything the other
boys could and was extremely sharp on top of that. In fact, it was she who warned us of the hand grenades thrown in to the window of the hut we were investigating while on patrol one day.
“Get out now!” we heard Charly scream. Over the past few months, we had learned to listen to her: if she said to hit the deck, we did; if she said to stop,
we froze in our tracks. So when she yelled at us to get out of the hut, we booked it out of there.
The resounding boom of the grenades was dully echoed off the buildings north of our position. The blast had thrown us off our feet and chunks of the
brick hut rained around us. Before the haze of the dirt even cleared, gunfire seared through the air; LT cried out in pain when one of the ambushers caught him.
From there, it was chaos – everyone scrambled into the devastated hut, which provided some protection from the enemy fire. King relayed our position and situation to the base, calling for reinforcements as I crawled among our team, hurriedly treating them for injuries sustained in the explosion or the beginning of the
ambush.
It was only after I treated LT that I realized that I hadn’t seen Charly since before the explosion. I asked my patient if he had seen Charly, but he shook his
head “no.” I clambered from member to member; checking on wounds and asking if anyone had seen her since the blast. After three no’s, I started to become
frantic – where is Charly?!
Rapid machine gun fire continued to tear through the air. My instincts and training all screamed at me to stay low and pay attention to the firefight instead
of Charly, but I couldn’t help but search for her.
“Charly? Charly?!” I called out for her, wondering if I could be heard over the ruckus of the small arms firing rapidly. Then Smith was hit, and then Parris.
The ambushers were advancing steadily on our position; our situation was turning uglier with each passing second – we had to get out of there. King yelled to
us: “Ten minutes ‘til our backup arrives!” Would we even be able to last that long?
To Be Continued...
Sailors
By Plebe Michelle Danhof
Sailors.
There is no beacon far away
he seeks upon the shores,
nor any compass led astray
for courses unexplored.
This travel, need not the weary take
--the sea’s oppressive toll.
So leave he faith on ocean’s wake.
The enduring sailor’s soul.
Santacon
By Anonymous
This past weekend, thousands of college students and locals joined the jolly masses of Santa
Claus, elf, reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, walking
menorahs, and other holiday–related dressed participants to the local festival called Santacon. Last year,
the event hosted an estimated 20,000 participants. It
is described by its organizers as a “nondenominational, non-commercial, non-political, and
non-sensical Santa Claus convention that occurs once
a year for absolutely no reason.” Originally, the event
began in San Francisco in 1994 to sponsor the San
Francisco Cacophony Society, but is now showing the
holiday spirit annually in some of the most populous
cities across the U. S.
Despite being a mesh of disorderly conduct,
being called the “douchiest day of the year,” the reason for the extra deployment of NYPD cops, and confusion for the children who were left with the question of how many Santas are out there, Santacon
demonstrates its good side. The participants of the
NYC Santacon are asked to each bring two nonperishable food items, and as a result each year, the
NYC Santacon donates over 10,000 dollars for Toys
for Tots and 6,000 pounds of food for Manhattan and
Brooklyn food banks. For those that missed Santacon, don’t worry! After all, the eleventh year of
“No Pants Subway Ride” is coming up on January
8th ... if you can get can liberty on a Tuesday.
What did Mary Popins want from Santa?
Answer: Superclausfragilisticexpiallisnowshoes.
Page 12
At the Waterfront, Continued…
We went a blazing 6.1 NYC miles in less than 5
hours, seeing everything NYC has to offer. Everyone got
back on board at 1815 and we returned to KP in excellent
spirits. I hope that everyone will join us for next year’s
trip. Pictures from this year’s trip can be found at: https://
picasaweb.google.com/gasiorcj/LiberatorHoliday2012?
authuser=0&feat=directlink
So Long Summerwind
If you haven’t noticed by now, the Academy’s
Flagship Schooner is gone, never to return. As a part of
the USMMA Sailing Foundation stipulations, Summerwind was sold at the start of winter. She is currently sitting in shipyard in Cambridge, Maryland behind a boat
that was donated to the Sailing Foundation. Here is her
brief history as an epitaph to her time at KP.
The Schooner Summerwind was launched as the
Queen Tyi in 1929 from the yard of C.A. Morse (now
Lyman-Morse) of Thomaston, Maine. Designed by the
John G. Alden Company of Boston, Massachusetts, considered by many to be one of the top design firms of this
type of craft, she was built for a Wall Street banker who
lost the vessel in the Market Crash of 1929. Renamed Sea
Gypsy, she was to become a well-known schooner yacht,
racing and cruising the waters of New England and serving her country during the Second World War as part of
the Coastal Picket Patrol with her designation CGR-1989.
As the noted historian Samuel Eliot Morison wrote,
“( these vessels) had the arduous task of patrolling areas
around Nantucket Shoals, west to Shinnecock and down
to 40 degrees North…They kept at sea for a week or
more and took everything that old man Neptune uncorked.” She was part of the development of the classic
yachting movement that began in the late 1960’s as older
vessels were joined by newly built replicas as evident in a
1967 New York Times article with the by-line “Block
Island waters to drip with nostalgia June 28 as schooners
compete” about a gathering of schooners as part of the
Storm Trysail club’s recently created Block Island Race
Week. By the 1980’s she was chartering in the Mediterranean and her classic gaff rig was converted to that of a
staysail schooner. She had several refits during her career
as a charter vessel, but her lifespan was nearing its end
Since 1943
when she was purchased in Spain in 2006 and transported
to Palm Beach Florida where a massive restoration was
undertaken. Almost entirely replanked; every structural
element was evaluated and either restored or replaced and
her engineering systems redesigned. Her sailing rig was
again updated, this time to make her a champion racer on
the extremely popular classic racing circuit. The efforts
of this tremendous two year undertaking were rewarded
when she took first place in her class at the 2009 Newport Bucket. Renamed Summerwind, she is a classic vessel in new condition ready to embark upon a championship career.
Incoming Boats
It has been confirmed that the Waterfront will be
receiving a new vessel. Named Red Head, this Florida
Bay Coaster formally belonged to the great Long Islander, Billy Joel. At 65’ with twin engines and a hydraulic PTO bow thruster Red Head has a speed of 9kts. She
boasts a professional watchstanding bridge and unmanned engine control room. She should be an excellent
training ship addition to the KP fleet as she is shaped like
a tug but being a twin screw, she fills a needed gap in our
fleet. Here is her online ad.
Red Head (ex-Key Largo)
Design Number 269
Built 1988
The 65' Key Largo was the second freighter built
by the original Florida Bay Coaster Company. In her, we
took the opportunity to try out many of the ideas for improvements we’d generated while using the 50-footer. All
her cabins are quite a bit larger. She had luxury additions
like the skylight over the master stateroom and the hot
tub on deck in place of the stack. There’s full headroom
in the hold area, opening up options like a captain’s cabin
in this space, and greatly increased tankage and a watermaker, making possible an even more extended time
away from shore. The deck space is much greater than on
the 50, too, and this allows for the port side stairs amidships from the waist deck to the pilothouse. There were
also stairs aft from the lazarette/steering compartment all
the way up to the “fun deck” for quick movement when
making landings or in moving from one area of the entertaining to another. The “fun deck” has the barbecue, hot
tub, picnic tables and chairs and plenty of lounging
space.
The Key Largo operated for several years as a
charter vessel, carrying four to six passengers on trips in
the Florida area in the winter months and in Maine in the
summer, with coastwise trips in transit in between. She
even did the “Great Loop” cruise one year.
After a while, she was sold into private usage, continuing
her North-South annual transits. Then, with that owner
building a larger boat, she was sold to Billy Joel who
used it for several years as his personal yacht. He made
several changes to her to suit his needs:
Particulars: Imperial
Metric
Length overall
64'-11½"
19.80 m
Length designed waterline 64'-6" 19.66 m
Beam 20'-0" 6.10 m
Draft 4'-6" 1.37 m
Freeboard:
Forward
9'-1" 2.77 m
Waist 4'-3" 1.30 m
Aft
2'-9" 0.88 m
Displacement, cruising trim* 175,000 lbs. 79,379 kg.
Displacement-length ratio
291
Prismatic coefficient .614
Pounds per inch immersion 5,590
Water tankage
1,400 Gals. 5,299 liters
Fuel tankage 2,500 Gals. 9,463 liters
Headroom
6'-9" 2.06 m
GM (from inclining test)
4.8'
1.46 m
USMMA
• Added power lifts to open the cargo hatches.
• Changed the color scheme on the boat to gray and white
with red trim.
• Lengthened the saloon and remodeled the galley area.
• Removed the crane and substituted a mast and boom for
lifting duties.
• Removed the hot tub and skylight, making the boat
deck clear.
• Removed the quarters in the hold, restoring it to the
original cargo use.
• Removed the aft staircase from hold to boat deck and
closed in the deck openings.
• Renamed the boat Red Head.
· Upgraded many systems.
Eventually, he sold the boat, and now the current
owner has the boat for sale at about half of her replacement cost. It was donated to the USMMA Sailing Foundation. Red Head is currently sitting in front of Summerwind at shipyard in Cambridge, MD. The Academy could
take delivery of her as early as this spring.
Acta of Kindness, Continued…
putting buttoning up their boiler suits and sliding
on their gloves to put in work at the park so many Kings
Pointers know and love. Plebe groups under the supervision of upperclassmen and Great Neck residents used
wheelbarrows and strong backs to carry out branches of
fallen trees on the paths of the park. For some, it meant a
few hours of work, but for Plebe Jamie Collins it meant
much more. She enjoyed the opportunity to put in the
labor saying that “unlike a clothing drive, or something,
we actually got to sweat and get dirty. And at the end of
the day, we were able to see what we had accomplished.”
Collins was one of two plebes shown working in a picture that ran with an article in Newsday written by Scott
Eidler on the project. This marks the second time in as
many projects that the service of 2016 has reached a national audience. The work may seem tedious or even, to
some, insignificant, but the attitude of the plebes is what
truly stands out. When discussing the work put in by her
class, Collins provided insight worthy of the attention of
the media and perhaps, even the attention of the Regiment as well. She said “There was a group of people
watching us, and they just couldn’t believe how hard everyone was working as we came up the path carrying these
huge logs again and again and again. The project was
part of our recognition steps, but it was also a great way
to help out in the community.” These sentiments were
echoed by her classmate and column picture co-star plebe
Stephen McGuire.
The topic of serving our country usually comes
up only in discussing service obligations following graduation from Kings Point, but recent events have acted as
a reminder that one does not have to wait to cross the
stage to give back to the country we all came here to
serve (in at least some fashion). “Service above self” is a
core value of this establishment which is echoed throughout the halls from indoctrination to graduation every time
plebes are commanded to adjust. However, in light of the
recent events and work done by the school whose motto
is “Deeds Not Words,” the Regiment can be confident
that the effects of their actions this year will echo
throughout the community and country far longer than
the scream of plebes throughout the barracks.
"Any damn fool can navigate the world sober. It takes a really
good sailor to do it drunk." - Sir Francis Chichester
KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE
Page 12
Since 1943
USMMA
The Dark Ages
By Plebe Woodrow Buck, Staff Writer
Faith in Leadership
By MIDN X
Is it just me or does it seem like every year we come back, more and more
responsibilities and decision-making abilities are plucked away from the hands
of the midshipmen? Over this past decade, Kings Point has gone through one
of the most difficult transition periods in its history. Since my arrival here just
a few years ago, I have seen four Superintendents, two Commandants, and a
number of CO’s come and go. Every time someone new comes in the administration, he or she piles more regulations onto the old ones. They increase
their spheres of control and demand midshipmen to fall in line. If you were to
read the “Kings Pointer” magazine, the editor makes a habit of blaming MARAD and Washington D.C. He cites the loss of NAFI programs and the diminishing influence of the alumni as factors that are tearing the school apart. He
never hesitates to mention numerous times how Washington D.C. has taken it
upon itself to directly make the appointments of personnel. This has all
seemed to accumulate in an attitude change within our administration. Now
we face superiors who believe that midshipmen are reflective of their very
generation. As today’s youth continue to “degrade” themselves in public and
overwhelmingly support help from the government, it is assumed that midshipmen are therefore incapable of making decisions for themselves. Let me
assure you that this attitude does not encourage leadership within the regiment. When the RC can’t make his own decision on what uniform would be
proper to wear to regimental functions or when Regimental officers have to
babysit the companies in the middle of marching practice, how can we expect
midshipmen to respect their authority? We would eventually come to see the
leadership program at Kings Point as a nuisance rather than an effective tool
for helping young men and women learn how to lead before they experience
their times of crisis. I understand that some in the administration fear midshipmen who make mistakes, but that’s the point. I would rather have midshipmen
mess up at being a leader now then after graduation when the lives of men and
women are on the line. I firmly believe that the youth who attend and graduate
from service academies reflect the best of their generation. They sacrificed
their personal liberties to be a part of something greater. Kings Point midshipmen today are from the same heritage as those 142 cadets who gave their lives
in World War II. I saw some of that over Veteran’s Day weekend: the regiment voluntarily took the initiative and went down to Rockaway Beach to help
with the hurricane relief effort. There were no commissioned officers yelling
at midshipmen about where to go and what to do. Midshipmen led midshipmen, and our efforts turned a local storage area into a local dispensary area.
Our help probably saved a few hundred lives since the relief materials were
scheduled to be shipped away from the area. Instead, the good people in the
Rockaway area who needed them the most will be able to feed and clothe their
families over the next few weeks. This is the Kings Point I admire, and I believe it reflects the direction the administration should take. We must be willing to let midshipmen take a larger role within their Regiment. If we expect
midshipmen to perform better and show pride, we must let them experience
what it truly means to be a leader by giving the regimental system some real
support.
It’s that time of the year again – malls are starting to blast Frank Sinatra on
the PA system, smelly men in Santa suits will start ringing bells, and this winter
has the potential to be VERY cold. An early Nor’Easter means a long and nasty
winter after all. Many at Kings Point are from Strong Island, but for others – this
will be the first ‘real winter’ they’ve had. One friend I have is from the Virgin
Islands – and he was cold during Indoc!
You’ve all heard it before: “the Dark Ages.” The Dark Ages are here and
they are here to stay. For those of you who don’t know, it’s literally going to be
dark all the time. Being from Montana, this is nothing new to me. But for those of
you from the nice and warm parts of the world, the sun won’t be up when you are,
and it will set long before you go to sleep. The best advice I’ve heard was to find
something to do or you will probably blow your brains out from boredom.
The term “Dark Ages” begins to take on a very historical meaning when
you consider the plagues that will soon be rampant on campus. With B-Splitters
back from all over the world, a metric ton (MFT) of illness can run rampant in the
barracks. Not the Mac Miller type of ill either; the skin diseases, stomach viruses,
and eye infections type of ill.
There’s not much worse than being sick at Kings Point. Classes don’t stop,
and no one wants to go to Patten. The only advice I can offer is to do everything
in your power not to get sick. I’m not going to tell you to eat your vitamins, wash
your hands, and exercise often, but that’s what I’ll be doing. Being sick can be
catastrophic to your grades; the frequent breaks are already distracting enough
from school as it is!
Don’t let the weather get over your head though, and don’t get under the
weather… it’s the holiday season! Whether it’s Christmas or Hanukah, Festivus or
Kwanza, even New Year’s Eve – or waiting for Dooms Day- we all have something to look forward to! I know what I’ll be doing on December 25th: watching
‘Christmas Vacation’ and destroying my brother at Halo 4. Yes, we do have electricity in Montana; all seven of us. Shoot, I might even remember to get my sister
a present this year!
One does not simply make it through second tri…. The Dark Ages may be
a time of disease, depression, and dismal dreams of distant island getaways- but it
doesn’t have to be. Here’s to hoping it’s a beautiful and chill white winter- let it
snow, let it snow, let it snow…. That way I won’t have to run anywhere!
An Interview with Omar
By MIDN Nicholas Sitter, 3/C
Omar’s story began many years ago. He was from El Salvador, but in his
younger years, he escaped the war and the guerillas to make it to America. Omar
got his start at KP when a friend of his brought him in. Omar’s trademark, the cat
noise, has induced many smiles from midshipmen over the years. There’s really
no reason to why it started; it just began and eventually there became a mutual
meowing between Omar and the midshipmen. The primary thing I took away
from the interview was that Omar is very dedicated to serving the midshipmen and
sincerely appreciates the friendship he has received.
By MIDN Eric Izzo, 3/C
Page 13
Since 1943
USMMA
By MIDN Spencer Fletcher, 1/C
The most popular term for first classmen, among the Regiment, is undoubtedly the word,
“Zombo.” But how did this term come about? This Letter to the Editor, published in
1996, and then re-printed in 1991, dates “Zombo” all the way back to the 50’s.
CAPT John Hagedorn
I sat down with CAPT Hagedorn of Marine Transportation to find
out a little about his past and his time here at Kings Point. We all know
the good captain from his dedicated involvement in the CAORF labs, but
what brought CAPT Hagedorn to Kings Point and why is he so motivated and determined to make our experience here a good one?
After a very long prosperous sea going career CAPT Hagedorn
came ashore in hopes of instilling his volumes of sea-going experience
and expertise in the midshipmen here at the Academy. After arriving at
King’s Point he spent three and a half years as the Captain of the King’s
Pointer, in which he organized the Ship’s Officer Program. The program
called for a midshipmen master, chief mate, chief engineer, and a 1st
assistant engineer. He explained this was a time when the ship took frequent trips during most of the breaks, creating an invaluable experience
for the midshipmen that participated.
After his KP’er duty he spent approximately 1.5 years in Career
Services and Shipboard Training. CAPT Hagedorn’s passion, though,
was teaching. So, he started teaching after his short stint in Fureseth Hall.
A veteran professor of nearly all of the navigation courses, he then devoted his time solely to his true calling at King’s Point, CAORF.
CAPT Moskoff and CAPT Hagedorn are continually trying to
improve the lab in order to provide midshipmen with a top-notch experience. As CAPT Hagedorn said, the lab helps midshipmen learn how to
deal with problems they may actually face out at sea; it’s about making
mistakes and getting that second chance – a second chance that may not
be possible out at sea. On top of that, to help with this development,t he
tries very hard to “keep the reality,” in order to make the atmosphere and
situation that much more serious and educational.
Apart from loving the Academy and her midshipmen, he also has
an undying passion for the sea and was a strong proponent of shipping at
some point. He feels that shipping out has a number of great opportunities that are simply impossible in other walks of life. CAPT Hagedorn
stated the opportunities are plentiful and help individuals understand the
world: despite politics, religion, or race we are all human beings of respect. The sea helps create more cultured, compassionate individuals.
"Mackerel skies and mares tails, soon will be time to shorten sails." - Old Proverb
Midshipman Spotlight
By MIDN Matthew Finlayson, Staff Writer
M/N LT Jon Fogarty 1/C
Propeller Club President
RTVN
Where are you from?
Abita Springs, Louisiana.
What are your hobbies?
Fishing, boating, and soccer
Why did you come to KP?
I came to KP to work on the water and to one day work on the
lower Mississippi River.
What’s the best part about being the Navigator of the Training
Vessel?
To me the best part about being the Navigator of the Training Ves
sel is gaining real hands on experience such as ship handling and
practicing navigation.
What are your plans for the Propeller Club?
Plans for the Propeller Club include a TM to visit the Staten Island
Ferry to observe operations, a hopeful spring break trip to Panama
to see the Panama Canal, and I am open to any and all ideas that
other midshipman may have.
(Fogarty on the right, flanked by Mr. Crane, a 1943 graduate of Kings
Point. He served as a cadet on board a cargo ship in WWII and delivered
cargo to the beaches of Normandy just after the D-Day invasion)
KP Spotlight: Mrs. Cunningham
By Plebe Kenneth Pressey, Staff Writer
Mary Alice Cunningham, Kings Point Social Director
What brought you to Kings Point?
Living in Great Neck most of my life, I was working in the city as a manager in
a high-end hotel and teaching sculpture at the Great Neck Adult Program in the
evenings. When the Midshipman Hostess (as it was called before Social Director was considered more current) opened at the academy, it was a perfect fit - a
marriage between my strong management skills, creativity, and artistic flair!
What is the greatest joy you get from serving the KP community?
STUDENTS! There is nothing more joyful to me than seeing students come in
as freshman and watching them mature into amazing adults upon graduation!
Being involved in the midshipmen’s events and knowing I play a part, however
small, in their development is a gift. When students keep in touch years later
and I witness how extraordinary they are in their lives, and the world, it is a
most rewarding moment.
Out of your time at the academy, is there a single moment that stands out?
Each year holds moments that stand out. For example, in the past year two
events have clearly touched me. The first event was the June Ball - with its fireworks and beautiful Eiffel Tower made with balloons and lights. The second
event was attending the 1st class party in Woodside this fall with the Stancati
and my daughter.
The ingenuity of creating such a splendid June Ball and the appreciation and
enthusiasm the students showed us at the 300 night party was remarkable and
truly memorable. When I think of the skills required to succeed in the world, in
business and personal, these moments reflect some of the necessary attributes.
What do you think is your biggest contribution to the academy?
My biggest contribution to the academy - Helping the midshipmen become fine
young men and women.
Professionally some things stand out –Etiquette lectures. The institution of dinners for all classes enhanced the etiquette training
they received and provided a communal situation for the students in small
groups to practice their etiquette skills. Many students have told me later how
useful this is!
Reviving the Midshipmen Council. Perhaps my most important contribution. It
is now an independent, dynamic organization for the student body. It advances
and provides social events and quality of life to the midshipmen and women.
The council provides a structure for both individual classes, and their special
needs, and also the interest of the midshipmen as a larger group.
Sponsor program. I am proudest of starting and mentoring the sponsor program
an integral part of some students experience at the academy. It supports and
benefits many students by providing a necessary familial support system.
And then there are the turtles.......perhaps my finest contributions. :-)
KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE KP PRIDE
Professor Spotlight
KP SPORTS KP SPORTS KP SPORTS KP SPORTS KP SPORTS KP SPORTS KP SPORTS KP SPORTS
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USMMA
Women’s BasketballTeam
By MIDN Kristina Walz, 2/C
Mariners Men’s Basketball Off to a
Thrilling Start!
By MIDN Timothy Rice, Sports Writer
The men’s basketball team (1-1) traveled to Rochester, NY to take
part in the Chuck Resler Invitational Tournament November 16 and 17.
The tournament consisted of four teams: Rochester, Mount St. Mary’s, St.
Lawrence, and your Mariners.
The Mariners were matched up against the Rochester Yellow Jackets in the first round on Friday night. After Rochester began the game
with a 19-0 run, the Mariners finally found their feet. They kept the contest interesting, pulling to within 7 of the Jackets during the second half.
However, the early deficit and brilliant free throw shooting by Rochester
proved too much for the Mariners, who fell to the Jackets by 86-67 points.
On Saturday afternoon, the Mariners faced off against the St. Lawrence Saints, who were defeated by Mount St. Mary’s the previous day.
Kings Point started the game very strong, jumping out to an early lead.
The energy they showed in the first few minutes waned, however, and the
Saints spent most of the game in the lead. The Mariners were able to keep
it close, and the game was tied at 69 with just over six seconds to play in
regulation with junior Reed Buck preparing to inbound the ball from the
baseline. He threw the ball in to senior guard Frankie Wisely (6 points, 4
assists, 3 steals) at the top of the key. Wisely showed off some impressive
isolation moves as he drove past his man toward the right side of the basket. The ball left his right hand a split second before the buzzer sounded,
bounced around on the rim for what seemed like an eternity, and finally
dropped, giving the Mariners a thrilling 71-69 victory, their first of the
young season.
Those readers that are familiar with the game of basketball may
know that buzzer beaters, while exciting, are not terribly uncommon.
What caused this one to stand out was the fact that, to this reporter at
least, it seemed as though Frankie Wisely was not looking at the basket
when he released the ball. This took an exceptional amount of skill and
luck, and propelled the Mariners to a much needed win to gather momentum as they looked toward the upcoming rivalry matchup against SUNY
Maritime.
The Mariners then travelled across Long Island Sound and cruised
to a big 78-42 win over the SUNY Maritime Privateers. Junior forward
Reed Buck picked apart the undersized Privateers, scoring a team-high 25
points in 26 minutes. Freshman David Smith came off the bench and
caught fire, burying 5 of 8 from beyond the arc and scoring 15 points in
21 minutes played. The Mariners dominated the glass, grabbing 44 rebounds to Maritime’s 19.
Kings Point began its conference schedule at home against
Goucher. The Mariners lost a hard-fought game, 59-50. Once again,
Reed Buck led the team in scoring with 14 points, and junior Nick Sergio
scored 13 off the bench. The Gophers’ Richard Harris and Alex Noble
combined for 34 of Goucher’s 59 points, propelling the squad toward their
second win of the young season.
The hated Coast Guard Academy Bears came rolling into the ‘O’
on December 5th. The Mariners routed their rivals in probably the most
important win of the season so far. Reed Buck led the team in scoring for
the 5th game in a row, scoring 22 in the 72-44 beatdown.
As the Mariners prepare for the meat of their conference schedule,
they look to continue their unselfish play and stifling defense in the weeks
to come.
MIDN Buck, 2/C out-jumps the Coasties
Winning means you're willing to go longer, work
harder, and give more than anyone else.
- Vince Lombardi
The women’s basketball team is
looking forward to a great season as
there are 9 returning players and 3 incoming talented plebes. The team has
great chemistry both on and off the court
which will allow them to strive for a
successful season. The two returning
seniors, Tamara Kaileh (NY) and Shendi
Josephs (VA), are both senior captains
and have great senior leadership. The
ladies provide great diversity as they are
from all over the country: Katie Franchois (PA), Allie Winfree (NJ), Kristy
Walz (IA), Demi VanDerWal (IL),
Jacque Weymann (CA), Sarah Ellenberger (AZ), Rebecca Resor (MS),
Marlee Chorvich (OR), Nicole Evanko
(CT), and Rachel Smith (CO).
The ladies are looking forward to
a successful season by improving on
their 10-15 record from last year. The
Lady Mariners were ranked 5th in the
Landmark Conference preseason poll by
the Landmark coaches after finishing 6th
last year in the conference. The ladies
are striving towards a couple of upsets
this season starting off the bat with a 3-0
record for the first time since the 20072008 season when the Lady Mariners
advanced to the Landmark Conference
Playoffs. This year’s schedule includes
playing The United States Military Academy at West Point on December
13th. The ladies also play one of their
big arrivals, Coast Guard, away later in
the season.
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Since 1943
USMMA
By MIDN Sean Chang, Resident Zombo
I highly recommend “ The Great Santini,” by Pat
Conroy, for your holiday reading list. For those of you who
have yet to do your humanities sea project, this is a great book
to read and is on the approved list. This book takes us into the
family life of a fighter pilot. Bull Meecham is the epitome of
the Marine officer — a tough disciplinarian at home as well as
at the base. Rebellion, or even difference of opinion, is not
tolerated by him. Objections are met with the statement "The
Great Santini has spoken."
His son Ben, as the oldest child, takes the brunt of his
father's criticism. His attempts to stand up for himself and for
his mother and sister are contemptuously dismissed by Meecham. Ben’s feelings for his father are a mixture of hate and
fear, reluctant pride in his prowess, and unacknowledged
love. The Marine Corps and aviation are the most important
things in Meecham’s life. As far as he is concerned, his sons
are destined to become Marine pilots, his daughters will provide their husbands (Marines, naturally) with a good home and
more fodder for the Corps. Meecham’s fierce drive for a successful son is concentrated on his own interests and nothing
less than perfection is considered acceptable — a perfection of
which he is the sole judge. He wants Ben to learn that in a
game, sportsmanship should go by the board when necessary;
what matters is winning, regardless of the means.
If you want a great read, pick up this book!
It’s Game Over, Man!
By Plebe Woodrow Buck, Staff Writer
If we were to trust a centuries old society which practiced human sacrifice and lived in mud huts about astronomythen December 21rst, 2012 would be the end of the world…
This being such, the important question is what to do?
IF- I were to wake up with a splitting headache and lounge
about in my bathrobe- I would be very put off if an intergalactic fleet of very unreasonable aliens were to destroy Earth to
make a bypass for a space highway. That only has a 42%
chance of happening though.
Perhaps, we will discover a large planet or asteroid on a
collision course with Earth- will Bruce Willis have enough
time to destroy it? Or will we have to build a space ark and fly
away? In the event of this happening, watch the news- as it is
equally likely there will be both zombie apocalypses and Category NFW Hurricanes.
On the other hand, if I was to wake to the toasty arrival
of global thermo-nuclear war- and I survived, I might actually
miss eating Delano food. I mean, it’s only a few steps above
Cannibalism as it is, right? I certainly wouldn’t miss some classes - or teachers. Just remember- don’t talk to strangers, don’t
touch it if it glows, and don’t go alone. It’s dangerous out
there!
So, what will you be doing on December 21rst? Going
about your normal day and dismissing that tribal gobbledygook? Or sitting in a five megaton proof fallout shelter, munching on frozen waffles and MRE’s left over from that Y2K nonsense?
I think I’ll spend my ‘last day’ doing my favorite things
- now, if going hard to Waka Flocka, skateboarding, and
watching corny 1950’s Sci-Fi movies isn’t your idea of a perfect day- then just chill with the people you truly care about,
because you’ll never regret that.
I mean- you can’t anyway right? Soon we’ll all be
mindless zombies, shuffling about with seemingly no purpose,
devoid of life and happiness…
KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE KP LIFE
Book Review
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USMMA