One of the main stories last week was the apparent dismissal (for lack of a better word) of the Superintendent of the of the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. (See: Merchant Marine Academy Superintendent Reassigned)
There are a number of rumors out there as to why this has happened, and a number of them are covered in the gCaptain Forum (See: King’s Point Superintendent Reassigned… and MARAD has NOTHING to say about it) as well as covered in the ‘USMMA at Kings Point Alumni’ group in Linkedin. (See: USMMA Superintendent Admiral Greene – KP ’78 leaving KP)
The object of this post is not to delve into the rumors, but to instead wonder just where is the Maritime Administrator in all this? I ask this because the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, visited the Academy on Tuesday, the 18th to express his support for the Academy.
The Academy however falls under the immediate supervision of the Maritime Administration and the Maritime Administrator, David Matsuda. But it was not Matsuda who visited the Academy this week. It was his boss, the Secretary of Transportation. Matsuda apparently didn’t even tag along.
From a report of the visit, the Secretary declined to provide any more details why RADM Greene was dismissed but did confirm that he had no intention of visiting the possibility of reinstating him to the position. So instead of answering questions, this latest visit to the Academy seems to make the mystery even deeper.
Fred