USMMA Names 2013 Commencement Speaker

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy today announced that Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander, U.S. Transportation Command, has been chosen as this year's commencement speaker June 17.

“The United States Merchant Marine Academy is honored to have General Fraser as our commencement speaker. He epitomizes the ideals of our Academy. He is an outstanding role-model for our graduates who are about to embark on a lifetime of service and leadership,” said Rear Adm. James A. Helis, superintendent, in a press release.

As the single manager for global air, land and sea transportation for the Department of Defense, USTRANSCOM provides logistics capability to the U.S. through its management of people, trucks, trains, railcars, aircraft, ships, information systems and infrastructure. 

Fraser has extensive wartime, contingency and humanitarian relief operational experience. During Operation Enduring Freedom he led an intelligence fusion organization that provided direct support to the warfighter. 

“It is my honor to address the graduates of the Merchant Marine Academy. Graduates have an outstanding reputation in all branches of military service and our civilian U.S. flagged commercial fleet which we at USTRANSCOM rely on in accomplishing our global mission.” 

Prior to assuming his current position, Fraser was the assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and served as commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., and as air component commander for U.S. Joint Forces Command, where he led more than 130,000 Total Force Airmen. 

USMMA is a federal service academy that educates and graduates licensed Merchant Marine officers who serve America’s marine transportation and defense needs in peace and war.