What branch is the Merchant Marine Academy associated with?

I'm trying to understand how the Merchant Marine Academy fits into the military structure. Is it tied to a specific branch of the armed forces, or does it operate independently? How does it compare to other service academies?

The United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) is a federal service academy that prepares students to serve America’s marine transportation and defense needs. It doesn't belong to any specific branch of the military. However, upon graduation, the students or midshipmen commit to serving the country’s national security, defense, and commerce through the Merchant Marines for a set period of time.

While it's not directly tied to a specific military branch like the Army or Navy, the USMMA fulfills a unique but equally crucial part of our national defense strategy. It has a distinctive structure in comparison to other service academies. Unlike other academies where you are committed to serving in a particular branch of the military after graduation, USMMA graduates have a broad range of options. They can choose to work in the civilian maritime industry, or they can choose to become commissioned officers in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.

So, even though USMMA doesn't directly tie into one branch of the military, its graduates significantly contribute to both the commercial and defense transportation needs of the country, providing a pillar of support that other branches rely on.