Are Merchant Mariners Veterans?

by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) I have a confession to make…. I don’t want to post this video. I don’t want to share a video of me crying with hundreds of thousands of gCaptain readers. I don’t want to wear this hat. I don’t want to stand up to be recognized during veterans day. I have not served in war and I, a United States Merchant Marine Officer, certainly don’t feel like a veteran. Nobody does. But this video is not about me. It’s about the past and future mariners. 

The following video is a longer and more in-depth look at this question. It is from my keynote speech during the 2019 American Merchant Marine Veterans association conference, I explore why WWII US Merchant Marine Veterans and many Merchant Navy Allies are still fighting TODAY for recognition… and why it’s important that we – Merchant Mariners and allied Merchant Navy officers – stand up and call ourselves veterans.