I'm an Electrical Engineer, so I certainly do see how the discipline can apply. But people do raise valid points. Even as an Student Engineer aboard a boat you're not going to be doing derivatives or anything like that - it's less design and more maintenance based. And if you don't get out around the 5 year mark with an engineering degree you could be limiting your potential without related work experience.
Allow me to interject my own experience in this.
As many folks here know, I left active duty after 11 years and went to the active reserve as an IMA. This mean that I was a "traditional reservist" which means I needed a job!!
My first job was for $8/hr answering technical support questions at a global computer manufacturer...I moved up to Director of Government Sales within 2 1/2 years...Why? The CEO asked me at lunch one day what my background was and I told him...the next day I was out of the phone queue.
Fast forward a few years...I'm looking for a better position and I interview at Motorola in a division that makes micromachined devices. These are on the order of 80u x 100u (u = microns here). These are TINY and used in automotive safety applications.
I am NOT an electrical engineer!!! I'm a "Mechie" but...Motorola hired me as a Staff Electrical Engineer. Why? (I asked the VP that hired me)
"Steve...you have an engineering degree from the USAFA...haven't applied it but I know what it takes to get that degree; what I need YOU to do is apply that logical thought process, that knowledge of procedure, methodology, and logic to situations that need resolution. We have "techies" that will do the math...you solve the problems!"
High paying job, great global exposure...all because I had an engineering degree from USAFA.
The value of that degree you're getting now is what you learn GETTING it, not the "definition of an Ohm, what's an A-D converter, how does an op-amp work..." but "...gee...we've got this problem here...how do we go about putting together a plan to attack this and get everyone here in the USA, over in Taiwan, Korea, and Malaysia on board with the processes?" Your logical thought process, the "design of experiment" skills you learn can be applied to ANY situation...not just a circuit board test.
Just my 10 cent ramble....
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83