I don’t get it, are they the military or are they not? Aren’t the ships privately owned? Can you not be a ship captain without going to the Merchant Marine Academy?
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The merchant marine is governed by the US department of transportation’s MARAD division. They license and monitor all US flagged cargo vessels. It’s not a part of the military in any way, and is not controlled by the department of defense. However, the federal government can commandeer any and all vessels needed during a time of war. More details here: https://www.maritime.dot.gov/about-us
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