Can I transfer from the SSO and go Active Duty Army after I graduate?

The straight answer right now is - no. During the last six months we have had almost a dozen prior Kings Point graduates contact our office asking if they could transfer from the SSO and go Active Duty Army. Unfortunately, DA (Department of the Army) has said no. It is still wide open for those entering the Army as brand new Lieutenants graduating from Kings Point, but for those already commissioned in another service, even a reserve, the option is not available.

So if you might be interested in the Army, think long and hard before you turn down this option, because it is gone once you graduate.

On a positive note, if you are interested in joining the Army Reserve or Army National Guard after graduation we can do that. In fact we have had a number of prior graduates transfer from the MMR/SSO into one of the reserve components. Once in the Guard or Reserve there are ways to transfer to active duty after you become a branch qualified officer - there are no guarantees, but it has happened.

Come in and talk to us. Many of you are here for the options, but once you graduate many of those options go away.

Post WOD Nutrition

The following link is to an article from the CrossFit Journal regarding post workout nutrition. Supplying your body with the best fuel to optimize your performance can make a huge difference in your workouts and general health.

Post Workout Nutrition

Weapons Familiarization at Fort Dix

A group of Midshipmen from the United States Merchant Marine Academy travelled to the former Fort Dix, NJ - now Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst - to participate in weapons qualification and familiarization with the famed Fighting 69th Infantry Battalion of the New York Army National Guard. Over a two day period the Midshipmen were able to fire a variety of weapons and received some training on the use of these systems and how they would be employed in a platoon defense. These midshipmen were afforded the opportunity to fire the M9 Pistol, M249 SAW, M240B Machinegun, M4 Rifle, Remington 1100 Tactical Shotgun, and the M18A1 Claymore Mine, and were able to observe a few others in use. TMs of this nature come up throughout the year and are usually open to all Midshipmen interested in learning more about the Army. Feel free to stop by and talk to us about the possibilities.

 Midshipmen Nolt (above), Harris and Gambill (below) fire the  M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) light machinegun on a "pop-up" range at ASA-Dix.

M249 SAW Qualification Range

Above, members of a Stryker crew of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard give the Midshipmen a tour of their combat vehicle.

Above, M/N Gambill prepares M18A1 Claymore Mines for use on the firing range. Below is video of the Claymores being fired.

Midshipmen receive training on the M240B machinegun prior to firing from the turret of the M1114 HMMWV.

Below is a video of the Dropkick Murphys' Fighting 69th song.

Air Assault School Obstacle Course Train Up

On 14 June 2011 four Midshipmen that have been training for almost three months in preparation for attendance at the U.S. Army Air Assault School, took their chances on the Marine Corps obstacle course at SUNY Maritime.

The AAS obstacle course is designed to identify a fear of heights in any of the candidates which may adversely affect them later on in the course. Pushing yourself over the edge of a forty-foot tower with nothing between you and a long fall but a 7/16 inch piece of rope takes some willpower, but it's nothing compared to exiting a Blackhawk helicopter hovering 100 feet above the ground. "I enjoyed running through the obstacle course, it was a learning experience. Training for AAS has not been easy over the past few months but it has opened up some opportunities and is making me an all-around better person," said M/N 4/C Jonathan Young.

The video below shows some AAS candidates executing the obstacle course on "Zero Day."

On 10 July 2011 four Midshipmen will report to the United States Military Academy at West Point and attempt to earn the Air Assault Badge. 1SG Swiderski has been working closely with the Midshipmen to prepare them for the tests that lay ahead. "These four Midshipmen have devoted a lot of time, effort and energy preparing for this.  From grueling Ruck marches to the early morning gut-wrenching conditioning drills; this group has always been highly motivated and gave nothing short of 110 %.  No Midshipmen that has been selected to attend Air Assault School has failed to successfully complete it and I am fully confident that this group is well prepared and will continue to uphold that tradition," said 1SG Peter Swiderski of the Army Liaison Team.

"SUNY Maritime’s obstacle course helped me realize that it is important to calculate the most efficient method of tackling an obstacle," said M/N 3/C Tyler Driscoll. "For example, I learned to use my legs on the rope climb rather than try to muscle my way to the top. Everyone on the Army Liaison Team has been very helpful in giving us insight on the program. After training with 1SG Swiderski over the past trimester, I feel prepared and eager to challenge myself at air assault."

In the photos and videos below you can see the effort our Midshipmen are putting out during their third attempt at the Marine Corps obstacle course at SUNY Maritime. Also attending AAS will be M/N 2/C Michael Jeffers and M/N 2/C Michael Phipps who said “The obstacle course is not difficult in its individual parts. Yet the full culmination of the course and the rope climb at the end was very challenging.”

For further information in this blog about Air Assault School click here.

Letter from Ranger School

Here's a letter that we received from 2LT Alexander Wingate, a 2010 graduate of USMMA and currently a U.S. Army Infantry Officer attending Ranger School.

"CPT G, CPT Burgos and 1SG Swiderski, I am sending this update from the field to keep you all posted on my progress thus far. I am now in the classroom portion of the mountain phase preparing for my first 5-day FTX (Field Training Exercise) for graded patrols. I was able to pass Darby with two goes on my patrols (Squad Leader with an OPORD brief and as Alpha Team Leader) RAP (Ranger Assessment Phase) week went well for the most part but I had some trouble with the Malvesti Obstacle Course and Ranger Stakes (overall passed). I did sustain an injury but have been working through it. I nearly was a heat cat (hot weather injury) in Darby but after fluids was able to return to training. I would tell any future Infantry LTs to force hydrate and stretch their muscles during Ranger. I am paying for it now and it’s an extra burden. Just to paint a picture about Ranger Class, 6-11 started with 406 men on April 24th. By Thursday of that week, RAP had eliminated more than 1/3, where my company went from 140 to 67. We bumped back up to 112 with recycles when Darby started, and by the end of patrols we were down to 55. My company (Alpha) is only 50 men, so our platoon is the company. Out of all the LTs sent from IBOLC from my company (120) we are at about 50-60 remaining. I am one of seven left from the 16 in my platoon from IBOLC left. It’s interesting to be one of the few of my original peers to be left. I have met many more LTs from other branches (still largely an LT class). The keys to this course so far is to follow directions given but don't rely on others to complete the task for you. Some times it’s just not in the cards. I am realistic and understand that factors out of my control can delay or stop my graduating. However, with that said, this course is definitely "do-able" so far. An important outlook I have to keep is that I am not trying out so I can wear a tab, instead I am learning and training to be one of the few proud Infantrymen in this country and have the tactical skills required to accomplish my tasks down range... Respectfully, Alexander Wingate"

Link to Ranger School

Massachusetts National Guard Trains for Deployment to Afghanistan

05/03/2011 - U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 182nd Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts National Guard participate in a stress shoot at Camp Atterbury, Ind., May 4, 2011. A stress shoot is a weapons range consisting of intervals of shooting and exercise. The 182nd Infantry was at Camp Atterbury for mobilization training prior to deploying as part of a security force mission assigned to a provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan. (DoD photo by Jill Swank/Released)

See What The National Guard Is All About.

In this video, released by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB), members of the military describe the value of the National Guard to our country. From natural disaster relief to man-made catastrophes like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to boarder security to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the National Guard is in the forefront, defending our country and the American way of life.