KINGS POINT, New York, May 14, 2013 – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) today announced that Gen. William M. Fraser III, Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), has been chosen as this year's commencement speaker to be held at USMMA on Monday, June 17, 2013.

USTRANSCOM is the single manager for global air, land and sea transportation for the Department of Defense. Composed of three component and two subordinate commands USTRANSCOM skillfully coordinates transportation missions and provides enabling capabilities worldwide. USTRANSCOM provides unsurpassed logistics capability to the United States through its management of people, trucks, trains, railcars, aircraft, ships, information systems and infrastructure.

General 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.

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 over 130,000 Total Force Airmen.

“It is my honor to address the graduates of the Merchant Marine Academy. The graduates of this academy 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,” said Fraser.

“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 Admiral James A. Helis, superintendent.

USMMA is a federal service academy that educates and graduates licensed merchant mariners and leaders of exemplary character who serve America’s marine transportation and defense needs in peace and war. With 95 percent of the world’s products transported over water, these leaders are vital to the effective operation of our merchant fleet for both commercial and military transport. Academy graduates abide by the motto “Acta Non Verba" - deeds not words, and are leaders that exemplify the concept of service above self. USMMA is administered by the U. S. Maritime Administration under the auspices of the U. S. Department of Transportation. For more information about USMMA’s commencement please click:USMMA 2013 Graduation.