Engineering

X

xc2024

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2019
Messages
26
Hello all,
I am a senior in HS and plan to study mechanical engineering next year, having applied for NROTC, USNA, and a handful of other top engineering schools. Upon visiting such civilian schools, I realized the incredible educational opportunities for engineering (design teams, internships, laboratory research, etc...).
I have a very strong desire to serve my country after college in the Navy, this has been my dream for years. I also, however, have a very strong desire to pursue (and spend a lot of time on) these engineering opportunities in college and beyond. I know that USNA is a top-ranked STEM school and has many opportunities such as this, but time is limited due to academic, athletic and military obligations.
Would anyone care to provide insight on such engineering opportunities/experience at USNA or in the Fleet?
I understand that the character and leadership experience built as an officer is incredibly valuable to success in any discipline. Does serving the mandatory commitment as an officer hinder one's opportunities in industry once they transition into the civilian world, since one has never experienced the business world (while others in their graduating class have had 4-8 yrs of industry experience already)?

Thank you so much!
 
xc2024 said:
Hello all,
I am a senior in HS and plan to study mechanical engineering next year, having applied for NROTC, USNA, and a handful of other top engineering schools. Upon visiting such civilian schools, I realized the incredible educational opportunities for engineering (design teams, internships, laboratory research, etc...).
I have a very strong desire to serve my country after college in the Navy, this has been my dream for years. I also, however, have a very strong desire to pursue (and spend a lot of time on) these engineering opportunities in college and beyond. I know that USNA is a top-ranked STEM school and has many opportunities such as this, but time is limited due to academic, athletic and military obligations.
Would anyone care to provide insight on such engineering opportunities/experience at USNA or in the Fleet?
I understand that the character and leadership experience built as an officer is incredibly valuable to success in any discipline. Does serving the mandatory commitment as an officer hinder one's opportunities in industry once they transition into the civilian world, since one has never experienced the business world (while others in their graduating class have had 4-8 yrs of industry experience already)?

Thank you so much!
Click to expand...
I am not an engineering major myself, but I have multiple company mates who are in various engineering majors. There are tons of opportunities for midshipmen in the engineering department such as internships at military contractors, independent research, and networking with some of the top engineering individuals in the military and private sectors. The academic rigor is tough but focused as there is many opportunities for help along the way.

Also, I would say the service commitment after graduation is more beneficial to your career in industry than those who attend civilian schools and head straight in to the business world. You will have experience with leading others and inspiring them to do their jobs. The Navy is basically a business on its own and it will give you the proper experience needed for a career in the private industry. I have heard many stories of companies approaching officers when they know their service commitment is about to be up to join their company. They are looking for officers to lead in their businesses as they know they are usually leaders who know how to manage people.
 
Navy2022 said:
Also, I would say the service commitment after graduation is more beneficial to your career in industry than those who attend civilian schools and head straight in to the business world. You will have experience with leading others and inspiring them to do their jobs.
Click to expand...


What do you want to do in life... do you want to sit in a cubicle and design things/fix problems, or do you want to a lead a team of people that designs and fixes things. You will get the nuts and bolts basics of engineering necessary to do either (or more particularly get into and do well in grad school) if your goal is the former. Serving as a Naval Officer gives you the opportunity to develop the later skills.
 
xc2024 said:
Hello all,
I am a senior in HS and plan to study mechanical engineering next year, having applied for NROTC, USNA, and a handful of other top engineering schools. Upon visiting such civilian schools, I realized the incredible educational opportunities for engineering (design teams, internships, laboratory research, etc...).
I have a very strong desire to serve my country after college in the Navy, this has been my dream for years. I also, however, have a very strong desire to pursue (and spend a lot of time on) these engineering opportunities in college and beyond. I know that USNA is a top-ranked STEM school and has many opportunities such as this, but time is limited due to academic, athletic and military obligations.
Would anyone care to provide insight on such engineering opportunities/experience at USNA or in the Fleet?
I understand that the character and leadership experience built as an officer is incredibly valuable to success in any discipline. Does serving the mandatory commitment as an officer hinder one's opportunities in industry once they transition into the civilian world, since one has never experienced the business world (while others in their graduating class have had 4-8 yrs of industry experience already)?

Thank you so much!
Click to expand...

Go Subs! All the engineering you can stomach!
 
Navy2022 said:
I am not an engineering major myself, but I have multiple company mates who are in various engineering majors. There are tons of opportunities for midshipmen in the engineering department such as internships at military contractors, independent research, and networking with some of the top engineering individuals in the military and private sectors. The academic rigor is tough but focused as there is many opportunities for help along the way.

Also, I would say the service commitment after graduation is more beneficial to your career in industry than those who attend civilian schools and head straight in to the business world. You will have experience with leading others and inspiring them to do their jobs. The Navy is basically a business on its own and it will give you the proper experience needed for a career in the private industry. I have heard many stories of companies approaching officers when they know their service commitment is about to be up to join their company. They are looking for officers to lead in their businesses as they know they are usually leaders who know how to manage people.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the insight!
 
Old Navy BGO said:
What do you want to do in life... do you want to sit in a cubicle and design things/fix problems, or do you want to a lead a team of people that designs and fixes things. You will get the nuts and bolts basics of engineering necessary to do either (or more particularly get into and do well in grad school) if your goal is the former. Serving as a Naval Officer gives you the opportunity to develop the later skills.
Click to expand...
Thank you, that is very good insight.
 
My daughter was an electrical engineering major at USNA. She opted engineering duty community after SWO and they have sent her for her masters and she has an amazing g career as an active duty officer. Also, with Navy being only undergrad, the opportunities to do research are much better than many other u overworked where you would be fighting for time and opportunity with grad students. The professors are amazing as well.
 
If you do well, there are all sorts of opportunities for advanced study and graduate study. Look on the USNA website for information on the Trident Scholar program and the Bowman Scholarship. These are but two.
 
xc2024 said:
Hello all,
I am a senior in HS and plan to study mechanical engineering next year, having applied for NROTC, USNA, and a handful of other top engineering schools. Upon visiting such civilian schools, I realized the incredible educational opportunities for engineering (design teams, internships, laboratory research, etc...).
I have a very strong desire to serve my country after college in the Navy, this has been my dream for years. I also, however, have a very strong desire to pursue (and spend a lot of time on) these engineering opportunities in college and beyond. I know that USNA is a top-ranked STEM school and has many opportunities such as this, but time is limited due to academic, athletic and military obligations.
Would anyone care to provide insight on such engineering opportunities/experience at USNA or in the Fleet?
I understand that the character and leadership experience built as an officer is incredibly valuable to success in any discipline. Does serving the mandatory commitment as an officer hinder one's opportunities in industry once they transition into the civilian world, since one has never experienced the business world (while others in their graduating class have had 4-8 yrs of industry experience already)?

Thank you so much!
Click to expand...

Just want to add, you should go into the Academy and literally just soak it all in for the first 1.5 years. Then maybe decide what you think your career would be. I'm not saying planning is bad, but there is a very small chance things will unfold the way your 17 year old self sees them.
 
^^^

Good advice. Some people enter USN with an intended career path and end up on that path. Others change their minds (or their minds are changed) along the way for all sorts of reasons -- desire, aptitude, medical, etc. Worked with a candidate who was totally gung ho for USMC ground. Had done lots of USMC stuff while in h.s. and stayed in that mode through about the first two years of USNA. Then something changed (not sure what but know it was NOT poor performance at Leatherneck). Ended up as a very happy USN pilot.
 
One of our USNA sponsor family members arrived at USNA firmly set on wings of gold, with a path mapped to jets, test pilot path, NASA, astronaut. His personal email name reflected his NASA aspirations. Did a NASA internship. Aero major. Navy Flying Club. PPL. He was not interested in any other path, was dead set on his goal.

During his pre-comm physical, a condition was found for which he would have to take lifelong medication. He was commissionable but DQ for air. He went subs and has done well.

When man plans, God laughs - an old saying.
Be flexible and open to the journey.


And for the OP, a USNA BS with heavy STEM core plus operational leadership and resource management experience will make you invaluable to industry in engineering management and dozens of other fields.

If you find you want to dive deeper into engineering, the Navy’s Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) is a restricted line community you could apply to laterally transfer into after you achieve your warfare qualification, a few years into your career. RL officers work only in their community and are no longer eligible for command at sea. Or, I think there is the SWO to EDO path right out of USNA. You’ll get plenty of briefs about all this, find upperclass to talk to, don’t sweat about getting the info.

This is a post I wrote over a year ago showing a member of our USNA sponsor family, major, post-military career field(s).

Choosing a Major

Here are some progressions we have seen with our sponsor mid family, keeping in mind everyone gets a BS with a solid STEM core, which opens up a wide variety of career paths. Below is a sampling of major, military field, civilian role. I do think IT-related majors make sense for Cyber paths...
www.serviceacademyforums.com
 
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usna1985 said:
^^^

Good advice. Some people enter USN with an intended career path and end up on that path. Others change their minds (or their minds are changed) along the way for all sorts of reasons -- desire, aptitude, medical, etc. Worked with a candidate who was totally gung ho for USMC ground. Had done lots of USMC stuff while in h.s. and stayed in that mode through about the first two years of USNA. Then something changed (not sure what but know it was NOT poor performance at Leatherneck). Ended up as a very happy USN pilot.
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It was the sunglasses. Pilots wear those cool aviators.
 
I don't have any good advice, but want to tell you you're not alone in this boat. Our kid is a military kid who has always wanted to attend USMA. His eventual goal is military medicine. About the time we figured out he was a serious contender, we realized that all the things that he had done to prepare to compete for a SA appointment made him a serious contender for some elite/big name research universities as well. Both paths are enticing. Both paths offer cool, but different opportunities. He is planning to apply to both and get as much exposure to both as possible during the year to come.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
> Back in VT-10 (NFO Primary Training), they told us that the mirrors in the cockpit , which are supposed to give some rear awareness, are really there so the pilot can check him/herself out from time to time !
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I believe that to be a true statement. Maverick didn't invent the look but copied it.
tomc.jpg
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Yep -- the comment was made just about the time that TOPGUN came out (actually, maybe 6 months before)
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I taught HM A school, Corps School we call it, in the middle 80s and a threesome of nurses came up with flight suits and sunglasses and one day and walked in the cube farm and belted out "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin" to the horror of those of us present. That memory had been repressed. I wish I could un-remember that.
 
Maverick is a poser.
I never wore those stupid looking made-in-China Ray Bans. AO Optical is what cool aviators wear. Made in the USA.
1584285529577.png
 
DH still likes his Serengeti Drivers, easy transition from cockpit to car (preferably sports) to boat (sold the last one a few years ago) to trail riding these days.

Later edit: I apologize for further unraveling the thread from OP’s serious Engineering topic. We are all a little unsettled these days.
 
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I’m a master thread unraveler. Back when BCGs earned their name, the only people I was authorized to order aviator frames for were pilots, air crew, and ground support personnel. Three of my four ships were helo capable so I ordered lots of spectacles with all types of frames.

I ordered me some of course. I did medical coverage for flight quarters. I also ordered some aviators for the rest of the flight quarters personnel. They wore cranials for goodness sake. CO and XO had to have some even though they were SWOs. I ordered some for the deck bubbas who handled hoisted and lowered cargo and pax. The oil king, (a BT-gone but not forgotten-may you all RIP) who tested the helo fuel for purity or whatever had to have some. There were at least 10 oil kings it seems like. Pretty much 80 percent of the crew had cool looking aviator frames.

One day on my DDG out of Yoko where I was an HM2 and knew everybody and where their itchy place was and a whole bunch of other things confidential of course, a Chief Operations Specialist stuck his head in while leaning over the bottom half of Sick Bay’s Dutch door. “Hey Doc, how ‘bout ordering me some of those aviation glasses.” I got up from whatever I was doing and as I closed the door almost smashing his face, I said, NO.

I waited for him to knock or go to the Chiefs Mess to whine to the HMC but he didn’t. Back when I had been onboard just a few days, that OSC held me up from going on liberty because of a haircut. He were still in Pearl Harbor before our homeport shift and people wore aloha attire on and off the ship, long hair and all, plus I was a Corpsman. Telling a Corpsman to get a haircut is akin to pulling teeth. Painful.
 
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