NORFOLK –
Vice Admiral John Mustin, Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force, signed an instruction officially transferring oversight of the Strategic Sealift Officer (SSO) program to the Reserve Force in a ceremony held at Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command, Aug. 1.
The instruction signed into effect by Mustin officially transfers oversight of the Strategic Sealift Officer program from the Active to Reserve Force. As the SSO program Resource Sponsor, the Reserve Component will now have complete oversight of the entire SSO program, to include the SSO Midshipman program, SSO Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and SSO Selected Reserve (SELRES) Sailors.
“This is a clear win for the Reserve Force and our SSOs who represent the only 100% Reserve Component community in the Navy,” said Capt. Eric Johnson, Chief of Staff. “This move provides a flag sponsor and advocate for the entire community and, by refining command and control, updating our mission, and streamlining our processes, we're not just enhancing our support for critical sealift operations - we're providing our SSOs with improved career pathways and ensuring we're better prepared to meet the complex demands of our global maritime environment.”
The instruction also establishes clear command and control to streamline program management, delineates administrative control (ADCON) and operational control (OPCON) responsibilities, and updates the overall SSO mission to better align with current strategic needs and operational demands.
The Strategic Sealift Officer Force (SSOF) provides warfare-qualified Navy Reserve Officers with civilian Merchant Mariner credentials and military training to support the activation, operation, and sustainment of the United States organic Sealift fleet, in contested environments, and in support of Maritime Domain Operations and the Maritime Industrial Base throughout the continuum of conflict.
Mustin acknowledged the hard work and dedication of longtime SSO program administrators including Johnson, Cmdr. Heather Davenport, SSO N14 Program Manager Cmdr. Steve Hohenshelt, and Military Sealift Command Total Force Management Director Gregg R. Pelowski in making the transition happen.
“There’s been a significant investment made in this program over time by the Reserve Force,” said Mustin.“This is a significant milestone, and I know for many, this is a long time coming. Thank you all for your persistence in helping to make this day possible.”
In May, 1973, the Navy Reserve Merchant Marine program was re-established via the release of OPNAVNOTE 5440 to, “provide a continuing source of well-qualified Merchant Marine officers whose professional naval development within the program will enhance the Merchant Marine-Navy coordination in time of peace, national emergency, or war.”
The Navy Reserve Merchant Marine Program became the Strategic Sealift Officer Force in 2011 to provide the Navy with assured manpower of properly credentialed Merchant Mariners with military training to support the operation and sustainment of Strategic Sealift.
The SSRG is now administratively controlled (ADCON) by Commander Navy Reserve Forces (CNRFC N14). CNRFC N14 is the SSO Virtual Navy Reserve Activity responsible for the mobilization readiness of the entire SSO Force.
The SSOF are Navy Reserve Officers in the Strategic Sealift Readiness Group (SSRG) of the Individual Ready Reserve and Selected Reserve (SELRES) officers attached to other Navy deployable units.
SSOs are graduates of federal or state maritime academies who possess unlimited Merchant Mariner credentials to operate commercial vessels and are trained as warfighters to operate in an increasingly contested maritime environment.
Certain civilians with Merchant Mariner credentials can direct commission (DCO) as SSOs. To check on available DCO quotas please contact your nearest Navy Reserve recruiter. To find out more on how to become a Strategic Sealift Officer, please visit the US Merchant Marine Academy website at https://www.usmma.edu/.