Ex- Army colonel to lead Merchant Marine Academy

[Marc0]

"KINGS POINT, N.Y. — A retired U.S. Army colonel was named Monday as the new superintendent at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made the announcement during a conference call in Washington. He said James Helis will start at the academy next month. Helis is a 30-year Army veteran who was most recently a department chair at the United States War College.
Helis also served in Afghanistan as chief of plans for the NATO International Security Assistance Force."

http://online.wsj.com/article/AP6118...933d0ad79.html

[c.captain]

Just further proof that Kings Point has become completely lost and no longer can be considered as an institution worthy of continued funding.

I MEAN FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! THEY COULDN'T FIND A RETIRED FLAGGED RANK OFFICER FROM A SEA SERVICE TO TAKE THE JOB!

This is just as bogus as at TMA where they have a bloody Air Farce Coronel in charge. Once upon a time KP managed to attract senior men who actually might have been on a ship at one time in their lives to run the place. I have to wonder how many people the DoT solicited to fill the post and were turned down cold? You know that they must have be begged Mark Kelley to take the job...I wished I knew what his answer must have been when they asked him why he wouldn't do it! When they fired Greene, they lost their last real chance to redeem the place.

One has to ask now how long will the new kid last before Wallischek and the entrenched cabal there destroy him as well? If Greene, who was an alum and ex Naval Admiral, couldn't reform the corruption and sanitize the place how on earth can a Helis? The man is doomed and a dead man walking! So now the saga of the great decline if the USMMA continues...how many more years can this tawdry telenovella drama continue? How many more hundreds of millions of money the US no longer has must be consumed by the vast sinkhole?


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[KPEngineer]

Just further proof that Kings Point has become completely lost and no longer can be considered as an institution worthy of continued funding.

I MEAN FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! THEY COULDN'T FIND A RETIRED FLAGGED RANK OFFICER FROM A SEA SERVICE TO TAKE THE JOB!

This is just as bogus as at TMA where they have a bloody Air Farce Coronel in charge. Once upon a time KP managed to attract senior men who actually might have been on a ship at one time in their lives to run the place. I have to wonder how many people the DoT solicited to fill the post and were turned down cold? You know that they must have be begged...I wished I knew what his answer must have been when they asked him why he wouldn't do it! When the fired Stewart, they lost their last real chance to redeem the place.

One has to ask now how long will the new kid last before Wallischek and the entrenched cabal there destroy him as well? If Stewart, who was an alum and ex Naval Admiral, couldn't reform the corruption and sanitize the place how on earth can a Helis? The man is doomed and a dead man walking! So now the saga of the great decline if the USMMA continues...how many more years can this tawdry telenovella drama continue? How many more hundreds of millions of money the US no longer has must be consumed by the vast sinkhole?

You mean Greene. Stewart was his predecessor and a USMC Major General. I can't blame you for getting them mixed up though with the revolving door they have had lately.

[c.captain]

You mean Greene. Stewart was his predecessor and a USMC Major General. I can't blame you for getting them mixed up though with the revolving door they have had lately.

DOH! Of course...I meant Greene. At least Stewart came from the Navy Department but he did sit square in the center of all the worse crimes to take place on the shores of LI Sound!

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[rob]

Ok, I'm just going to jump in here to refocus things.

The new Superintendent is a 30 year Army officer, let's just accept that fact and move on. Let's even try to stay positive and assume that a person of his caliber will end up being a significant asset for Kings Point.

Here's the question I'll propose you all:

If you had 10 minutes with the new Supe, what would you tell him so that he might be better prepared to take on his new role?

[c.captain]

Here's the question I'll propose you all:

If you had 10 minutes with the new Supe, what would you tell him so that he might be better prepared to take on his new role?

Clean house with a flamethrower!...force the members of the junta to take retirement before you turn over the evidence to the Department of Justice! Start with Capt. E. York Wallischek, USMS and go down the list from there. Why didn't they make him the new Superintendent anyway? Must be all the shit that is on him that will come out if he steps into the spotlight or maybe he just wants to be the puppet master behind the curtain manipulating the strings throughout that little world he calls his domain there on LI Sound?

Short of that, I have no clue. If you can't start things afresh there then you can change nothing because the place has become so embedded with it ridiculous fallicies that it is an impossible task to bring reality to the institution. I would advise him to find out exactly why Greene got his head handed to him and don't make the same mistake. Also, protect yourself at all costs. Sit nice and quiet and pretend to be benign but gather the dirt on everybody while you do. Pit each feifdom against the other feifdoms there but pretend you care not one whit. Be clever and cunning and let the Pirranas devour eachother.

Now, that would be a show worth paying money to sit and watch! Can Helis do it? I wish I could say think he can but I really doubt it. Maybe he'll be a big surprise...stranger things have happened in this crazy world!

Damn! I hope the KP Admin reads this...that alone would make it all worthwhile and oh so sweet.


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[rob]

thanks c.captain for your utterly profound and inspirational remarks.

Ok, so does anyone ELSE have anything to say...

[cmakin]

Although it is a minor point, I am also concerned that his son is starting at KP this year. I beleive that it gives the wrong perception. For a post of this magnitude, one would think that the incoming Superintendent and the powers that be would take that into consideration. It provides more fodder for those that are eager to find potential corruption.

[c.captain]

thanks c.captain for your utterly profound and inspirational remarks.

Ok, so does anyone ELSE have anything to say...

Sorry Rob but this is red meat to me, however I'll crawl back to my cage now....

To give you a serious answer, I'd advise Helis to look hard at the industry and KP's place to provide new members to it. Truly try to change the program in any way possible to make the school more relevant in 2012 and beyond.

btw, glad I was able to inspire you but what it is that I actually have inspired you to do has me worried! I hope it doesn't involve using pointy sticks?


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[Marc0]

Here's the question I'll propose you all:

If you had 10 minutes with the new Supe, what would you tell him so that he might be better prepared to take on his new role?

It's sad that all they could get is an Army Colonel to lead what is widely to be the most prestigious maritime academy on the planet. Even foriegn mariners recognize and respect the KP heritage, certainly more than some on this forum.

I would ask the new supe if he's ever been on a merchant ship, even seen a merchant ship up close, or ever been on a ship of any kind. Constructively I suppose I would tell him that for the good of the merchant marine professionalism that the Academy is to instill, he had better distinguish the merchant marine training that it's the Academy's mission to deliver from general military acedemy training. It certainly isn't the Academy's primary mission to send graduates into active armed forces.

[c.captain]

...what is widely to be the most prestigious maritime academy on the planet. Even foriegn mariners recognize and respect the KP heritage, certainly more than some on this forum.

Oh please NOOO...don't throw this raw ribeye in front of me!



I need my pinkies...where the HELL are my pinkies?


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[tugsailor]

Let's give Helis a chance. He is an experienced educator with very impressive curriculum vitae including a PhD in International Relations from Fletcher (an absolutely top notch school on a worldwide basis). Helis would be considered a good choice at any non-maritime university that does not have too much of an anti-military bias.

It seems that the primary thing counting against Helis is that he is not a mariner. That was my knee-jerk reaction too, but the alleged "mariners" who are running maritime academies have a pretty pathetic track record. They have failed their students, the industry, and the country. To the extent their students succeed, it is because those students are making their own success --- they are taking lemons they have been handed and making lemonade.

I think its a good thing that his son is a freshman at KP. His son could go anywhere: West Point, Annapolis, Harvard, Yale, etc., but the family is "investing" themselves in KP. His son will also give him a perspective on KP's needs from a student's point of view that he would not otherwise get. Sending his son to KP shows commitment.

[cmakin]

"Sending his son". I hope that he had to run through all of the hoops.

[c.captain]

Let's give Helis a chance. He is an experienced educator with very impressive curriculum vitae including a PhD in International Relations from Fletcher (an absolutely top notch school on a worldwide basis). Helis would be considered a good choice at any non-maritime university that does not have too much of an anti-military bias.

It seems that the primary thing counting against Helis is that he is not a mariner. That was my knee-jerk reaction too, but the alleged "mariners" who are running maritime academies have a pretty pathetic track record. They have failed their students, the industry, and the country. To the extent their students succeed, it is because those students are making their own success --- they are taking lemons they have been handed and making lemonade.

I think its a good thing that his son is a freshman at KP. His son could go anywhere: West Point, Annapolis, Harvard, Yale, etc., but the family is "investing" themselves in KP. His son will also give him a perspective on KP's needs from a student's point of view that he would not otherwise get. Sending his son to KP shows commitment.

I am more than ready to admit to being overly caustic but seriously...isn't this post rather viscous?

[KPEngineer]

"Sending his son". I hope that he had to run through all of the hoops.

How long has Greene been gone? I'm pretty sure his son would have had to apply well before he did.

I was hoping they wouldn't be dipping into the retired military pool again, it's not the direction I would like to see the school going. Since all I know about him is what I read in his bio I'm willing to wait and see.

[cmakin]

How long has Greene been gone? I'm pretty sure his son would have had to apply well before he did.

I was hoping they wouldn't be dipping into the retired military pool again, it's not the direction I would like to see the school going. Since all I know about him is what I read in his bio I'm willing to wait and see.

I sure hope that he had to go through regular channels. I just don't like the smell of it. And with the other rumors going around, it would seem that maybe a different arrangement would have been made. It is a somewhat irrelevant thing, but I just think it is kind of strange. Then again, I didn't apply for the job. . . . . .

[lcx5]

I am not a mariner. I work in corporate America...yes, pity me. I disagree with the venerable c.captain, and yet
I agree with his 2nd point.

Sounds like KP, much like the U.S., needs a great CEO. An executive level manager. A really good CEO
can take the helm at any company, or in this case, a school. His knowledge of the company/school is largely
irrelevant. He can redefine objectives and execute. He will learn what he needs to, and make something happen.
That is..."if" this man is a great CEO...

However, like c.captain said, he will likely need to clean house a bit so he knows the guys below him
know what they are doing and will execute his changes. Heck, it should be refreshing for this institution
to have fresh eyes evaluating itself.

[Mikegb88]

This is just as bogus as at TMA where they have a bloody Air Farce Coronel in charge.

The Superintendent of the Texas Maritime Academy graduated TMA in the sixties from one of the first classes, and retired as a Admiral. The Captain of the ship, chief mate, and chief engineer are all graduates of TMA from the sixties. The President of TAMUG is a retired navy admiral as well. In fact, a good portion of the professors and captains are retired sailors that graduated from TMA. But yes, the person who takes directions from them and helps run the so called "corp" is a retired Airforce colonel. The corp however does not weigh much as far as the education goes, and only involves us wearing uniforms around, so I don't know how much weight I would credit the colonel to the training, direction, and well being of TMA. Just my thoughts.

[john]

The Army sure operates a lot of ships, so maybe he has some experience, has anyone seen his resume?

But the question I want to know is if he'll wear army green or if he'll be 'promoted' to Admiral?

[KPEngineer]

The Army sure operates a lot of ships, so maybe he has some experience, has anyone seen his resume?

But the question I want to know is if he'll wear army green or if he'll be 'promoted' to Admiral?

I can't imagine he'll give up the opportunity to wear stars. Is it two or three these days? The Superintendent when I was a plebe would be seen occasionally in a CAPT uniform since he was still in the USNR.