Recognizing the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council's Plan to Modernize the Usmma Campus

Floor Speech

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Mr. GARBARINO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Congressional Board of Visitors to thank the experts of the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council.

Recognizing the vital role of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in our national security and concerned about outdated and deteriorating conditions across campus, they assembled a straightforward, multi-year plan to bring the campus up to a standard commensurate with its crucial function. I am pleased to include in the Record a summary of their plan to modernize the Academy's 80-year-old infrastructure as well as a link to the Full Speed Ahead Plan in its entirety, which can be found at https://wearetheusmma.com/fullspeedahead/.

Graduates of the USMMA, one of our Nation's five federal service academies, make up more than 80 percent of the U.S. Navy Strategic Sealift Officer Force. Without these service-committed mariners, the Nation would have no assured source of trained, licensed officers to crew the vessels which move materiel, fuel and supplies to foreign shores in wartime. Without a comprehensive capital improvement plan and its timely execution, conditions on the USMMA's Kings Point, New York campus will continue to worsen, adversely impacting mission-critical training and hindering recruitment of dedicated service-obligated midshipmen.

For far too long, Congress has ignored the infrastructure required to provide USMMA midshipmen the specialized education and training they need to fulfill their mission. It is now time to make the institution worthy of their commitment to serve our Nation. Maritime Security Infrastructure Council U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Full Speed Ahead Plan Full Speed Ahead: A Plan to Address Critical Infrastructure Needs at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Background: In January 2021, the Maritime Security Infrastructure Council (MSIC), a group with expertise in major construction project management and concerned about the deterioration of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) infrastructure, developed a comprehensive plan to bring the campus up to the standards necessary to prepare USMMA Midshipmen to lead our Nation's maritime mission in the 21st century.

The Full Speed Ahead Plan is an intensive 8-year program to execute a decades overdue, comprehensive modernization: new academic buildings, physical readiness/training facilities, midshipmen morale and welfare spaces, parking structures, faculty and senior staff housing, utilities, IT, and campus security upgrades, and renovations of many existing buildings. This plan is adaptable, e.g., it can be adjusted for longer construction timelines and funding schedules, and--importantly--it is intended to be executed while keeping USMMA fully operational throughout construction.

Previous cost estimates were $611M in January 2021 and $820M in March 2022. The estimated cost when adjusted for inflation has now risen to $1.02B; additional delay will only further increase the cost of this urgently needed modernization.

The need: With over 80 years in service to our nation, a comprehensive modernization is long overdue if USMMA is to continue producing world-class, service-committed merchant marine officers who are the backbone of the U.S. Navy's Strategic Sealift Officer Force and a crucial element of defense readiness.

Congress has rightly recognized the necessity of and supported funding modernization projects at the other federal service academies, especially West Point and Annapolis. Long- term low funding levels have left the campus under-resourced, and the result is a deteriorating campus that makes attracting a diverse applicant pool and providing state-of- the-art mission critical training even more difficult. Many of the facilities date back to the Academy's founding in the 1940s and are simply not conducive to the immersive training and demanding coursework expected from our Nation's five service academies.

Modern IT is nearly nonexistent in several buildings; what is available cannot accommodate even the most basic digital needs of Midshipmen, let alone support the increasingly high- tech vessel systems that they must master.

Aside from minor Midshipmen Barracks repairs in the 2000s, there have been no renovations or upgrades since 1988. Nearly every building on campus has exceeded its life expectancy and now requires replacement or major renovation.

This is particularly true of the Academy's physical training, leadership readiness, and athletic facilities. Although USMMA was the first federal service academy to admit women in 1974, no additional athletic or training spaces have been provided for female teams in the ensuing 50 years, clearly contrary to the requirements of Title IX. Overall, these limited and outdated facilities are inadequate for Midshipmen to maintain physical readiness standards of the U.S. Navy and other services and adversely impact the recruitment of future Midshipmen. Midshipmen need a purpose- built pool, featuring a separate wave pool with high dive/ jump capabilities in order to accommodate their specific mandatory training needs for rescue and survival at sea.

The Fix: Our working group of maritime executives, engineers, architects, and construction industry professionals--some USMMA graduates--propose the authorization and funding of a multi-year program of infrastructure replacement and improvement projects.

The Budget and Timeline Snapshot: We suggest directed funding for foundational design work that will serve as the blueprint for an aggressive eight-year construction and project management program. However, the plan can be readily adapted to meet longer construction timelines and funding schedules, along with any potential project modifications. As of January 2024, the current cost of the plan is $1.02B over eight years.

The Plan: For decades, concerned stakeholders have unsuccessfully sought to upgrade USMMA's physical plant; this plan reflects much of the quality thinking and hard work that went into earlier plans, which regrettably never came to fruition. This document specifically builds on the input of those earlier planning initiatives.

This plan details the facilities necessary for the USMMA to preserve its position as the preeminent leader in maritime education in the Nation, today and into the future. It reflects a long overdue acknowledgment that the campus has fallen woefully behind the other four federal service academies and other peer top-tier institutions.

The plan meets the long-term objectives of the Academy through facilities that will promote modern educational best practices, including globally connected research facilities; engineering powerplant laboratories; 21st century IT-enabled classrooms.

Support mission critical proficiencies: Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) applications laboratories; Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) training pool; Conference and license exam space.

Promote readiness: Accessible modernized fitness facilities sufficient to enable all Midshipmen to maintain physical readiness standards required of USN Reserve officers; NCAA- standard facilities for all athletes; Health and wellness center.

Facilitate leadership development: Weapons range; enhanced waterfront facilities; band facility.

Attract a diverse pool of applicants to ensure USMMA enrolls the best and the brightest.

Provide continuing education and industry engagement facilities: Maritime Center of Excellence for research, innovation, and policy development; MSCE accreditation required post-graduate continuing education opportunities; Maritime industry leadership conference capability.

Maintain a secure facility and a safe environment: secure campus at a level necessary to protect a federal facility; centralized security/access control at main gate and academy facilities; fencing and monitoring of campus boundaries; cyber-secure, modernized IT network.

Master Planning Process and Principles: The 82-acre campus is a unique, historically significant property. Our plan is designed to modernize the campus without expanding its current footprint.

The Education District includes the original 1943 academic buildings, barracks, and administrative offices that form the hub of the campus.

The Waterfront District includes Eldridge Pool, the Memorial Arbors, the Chapel, Yocum Sailing Center, the USCG Station, Samuels Hall and Crowninshield/Cressy Pier.

The Physical Training and Athletics District includes all the Academy's athletic facilities.

The Community District encompasses all of the McNulty Campus, including faculty housing and the museum. A second community district south of the Education District includes senior staff housing, the Patten Health Clinic, and the Midshipmen Activities Center.

Program Cost Summary:

Construction: Academic Center $116M; Activity Center $42.2M; Aquatic Readiness Center $65.6M; Leadership Development and Readiness Center $133.1M; Parking Structures $50.7M; Federal Maritime Center of Excellence $49.1M; Senior Staff/Faculty Housing $12.2M; Crowninshield Pier Replacement $31.7M; Waterfront Sailing Center $19.2M. New construction subtotal: $519.8M.

Facility Renovation & Upgrades: Samuels Hall Renovation Completion $8.8M; Campus Security and Waterfront Improvements $28.3M; GIS and Upgrade Academy Utilities $95.4M; Main Gate and Campus Security Upgrade $53.9M; Bowditch Hall and Steamboat Road Improvements $76.4M; Existing Building Renovations $94.8M. Facility Renovation/Upgrades Subtotal: $357.6M.

Design: $91.1M.

Program Management: $51.3M.

Total Program Cost: $1019.8M.

Maritime Security Infrastructure Council Members:

John D. Cameron, Jr., P.E. Managing Partner, Cameron Engineering & Associates, LLP: Mr. Cameron oversees the firm's consulting engineering services, which specializes in public and private sector engineering such as site development, energy management; water quality management planning, waterfront protection and resilience; roadway, drainage, utilities and infrastructure improvement; planning; building systems; building department services, and construction management. The firm's work has included major mixed use, residential, commercial and industrial projects as well as brownfields and waterfront projects. He is a frequent spokesperson on regional planning, sustainability, economic development issues for Long Island and beyond.

LTG Bill Grisoli (Ret.) Distinguished Chair of Civil Engineering and Chair of the Civil Engineering Advisory Board, USMA: LTG Bill Grisoli is currently serving as the Distinguished Chair of Civil Engineering and Chair of the Civil Engineering Advisory Board at USMA. He spent 39 years on active duty and retired in 2015 as the Director of the Army Staff. Prior to his retirement, LTG Grisoli held a wide variety of engineer command assignments at the Company, Battalion. Brigade, and Army Corps of Engineers Division level. His staff assignments include Director of the Army's Business Transformation Office and Director of Program Analysis and Evaluation Office, G-8. LTG Grisoli was born in NYC and graduated from USMA in 1976.

Lloyd C. Caldwell, P.E. SES, US Army Corps of Engineers (Ret.): Mr. Caldwell served until 2020 as the national Director of Military Programs responsible for the policy and technical functions of the Corps' worldwide program for engineering, design, construction, real estate and environmental activities. He was responsible for military construction and installation support at the USMA and the USAFA. From 2005 to 2010, he was the Director of Programs for the N. Atlantic Division responsible for military and civil works and the Director of Programs for the Gulf Region Division in Iraq. He is a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Building Construction degree from Auburn and holds MS in Civil Engineering and MPW degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.

Capt. Eileen Roberson, USN (Ret.) SES, DOT/US Navy (Ret.): Eileen Roberson is a retired United States Navy Reserve Officer. As a long-time member of the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service, Roberson has served as Director of Total Force Management for the US Navy's Military Sealift Command, Assistant for Administration to the Under Secretary of the Navy, Associate Administrator at the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, and Deputy Program Executive Officer (PEO) for Navy Information Technology Roberson holds a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Bowie State University in Bowie, MD and a BS degree in Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

John O. Arntzen, President, ACTA Maritime Development Corporation: Recently retired as a Senior Program Manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic Division at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York, he helped oversee a $2.4 billion Military Construction program on U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force bases in Europe. Prior to this, Arntzen was Special Missions Ships Project Officer for the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command. From 2015 to 2019, Arntzen was Chairman of the USMMA Alumni Association and Foundation (AAF). Arntzen holds a M.S. in Transportation Management from SUNY and a B.S., with Honors, in Marine Engineering from USMMA.

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