Midshipman Erik Beshada of South River recently completed Sea Year training at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) at Kings Point, New York.
Beshada traveled to Hawaii, Japan, Guam, Dubai, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan and South Africa aboard the USNS Amelia Earhart, USS Ponce and the M/V Alliance Fairfax.
By the end of their Sea Year, midshipmen will have trained on vessels such as container ships, roll-on-roll-off ships, bulk grain and ore ships, and oil tankers.
The USMMA 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; Beshada was nominated by Senator Bob Menendez.
All USMMA graduates earn both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Merchant Marine officer license, and incur an obligation to serve the country as an active or reserve officer in the U.S. armed forces.
Beshada is a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft. He is the son of Valarie and James Beshada of South River.
For more information, visit www.usmma.edu/.
