Ardmore Native To Train For Merchant Marines In Antarctica

ARDMORE, PA — An Ardmore native who is a member of the Merchant Marines will be heading down south, way south, for his upcoming training.

Midshipman Kevin Holmes, son of Priscilla and Larry Holmes, of Ardmore was recently selected to train aboard the USCGC Polar Star to Antarctica for his Sea Year training at the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Holmes was nominated to the elite federal service academy by Senator Bob Casey and is a 2017 graduate of Devon Preparatory.

Holmes is also an EMT at the Academy, a member of the crew team, and holds a Regimental Leadership Position.

"The World is Our Campus" is emblematic of Sea Year, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's signature training program where midshipmen spend one year training aboard ocean going vessels.

Sea Year is fundamental to the world-class maritime education provided by USMMA and is mandated by Congress.

It is an immersive program in which midshipmen are assigned to commercial vessels as officers in training to learn maritime skills in a real-world environment and is unique to USMMA – nothing comparable is offered at any other college or university, including the four other federal service academies.

By the end of their Sea Year, midshipmen will have trained on a diverse portfolio of vessels such as container ships, roll-on-roll-off ships, bulk grain and ore ships, and oil tankers.

The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a federal service academy that educates and graduates licensed Merchant Marine officers.

In addition to the rigorous academic and physical requirements for admission, applicants must be nominated by their Congressman or Senator.