Which SA sends more graduates to NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, etc.?

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Viper16

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I am currently deciding on which service academy to attend. I am laying towards USAFA because I want to fly fighters, and I wanted to know if USAFA or USNA sends more graduates to these facilities. What do you think?
 
By facilities, I take it you mean companies? Seems like something that’s quite hard to know, as it would require someone to track SA grads at multiple companies, and then aggregate them. Perhaps each SA does this, as I can see them having robust alumni tracking systems (and if not them, then their alumni associations). So they’re your best source.

But in the end, why does it matter? Hopefully you’re not picking a branch based on that. In the end, it’s not the SA that gets you there. It’s what you do at the SA and on AD.
 
I'm assuming your thinking about post-service. I don't think any of these employers lean toward a specific Academy, but instead look at the whole person and his/her specific qualifications and background.
I don't even think this info could be tabulated anyway.
 
USNA has produced more astronauts than any other college or university.


Can't speak for who goes to the civilian companies.

While I admire your ambition and drive, I'd focus first on what service and SA you want to attend. Then doing really well there so you have the option of becoming a pilot. Then doing really well in flight school so you have the option of choosing what platform you fly. Then doing really well in your first tour so you are selected as a test pilot. That puts you on the path to NASA et al. It's a long path but doable.
 
Either way you would be getting the benefits of the service academy experience. I agree with the above posters that for those particular goals, the distinction of USNA or USAFA is immaterial. Both could be excellent paths. Do more research on the lifestyle and missions of the particular academies and services and figure out which one you’re a better fit for. Anecdotally I heard from an Air Force cadet that they don’t have to stand watch, so there’s one upside.
 
I had a career in the Aerospace Industry and worked at and/or partnered with a variety of the leading companies, only some of which you mentioned. In that career, I ran into many former military officers from the full gamut of commissioning sources. Among those that graduated from the Service Academies, USNA grads outnumbered USMA and USAFA combined with many more USMA than USAFA. I actually ran into just a few USAFA folks - and this was a matter of discussion among some friends and we figured that it was that they went to airlines and other types of companies.
 
Depends, what it is you want to do?? Work as a civil servant directly for NASA, or just work for an aerospace vendor that has a NASA contract? Do you want to fly for NASA, or just work on projects (spaceflight hardware, etc.)?

At Goddard Space Flight Center, I can tell you that the current Director of Flight Projects (my boss's boss) was in the 3rd class of females that went to the USAFA, the Director of Management Operations was a pilot from the USAFA, and a good friend of mine in our Directorate was USNA and was a NFO on P-3s. Those are three that I directly know and have worked with, but I'm sure there are a ton more.

There are a lot of priors both as civil servants and contractors. It all depends on what it is you want for a job!
 
Viper16 said:
I am currently deciding on which service academy to attend. I am laying towards USAFA because I want to fly fighters, and I wanted to know if USAFA or USNA sends more graduates to these facilities. What do you think?
Click to expand...
I watched President Trump's speech to the USNA class of 2017or 2018-I think. He said something like 280 are going to become naval aviators. You can find it on youtube.
 
Navyfresh1322 said:
I watched President Trump's speech to the USNA class of 2017or 2018-I think. He said something like 280 are going to become naval aviators. You can find it on youtube.
Click to expand...
You to not need to be an Aviator to work for NASA, Boeing, etc. An Astronaut that is currently aboard the
International Space Station is LCDR Kayla Barron (USNA Grad ) who was a SUBMARINER. LCDR Jonny Kim,
also a USNA Grad is also an Astronaut and was a SEAL. As I stated earlier in this thread, I had a career in the
Aerospace Industry including Lockheed and others and I was a Surface Warfare Officer.
 
Navyfresh1322 said:
I watched President Trump's speech to the USNA class of 2017or 2018-I think. He said something like 280 are going to become naval aviators. You can find it on youtube.
Click to expand...
The distribution of new officers to Navy and Marine Corps officer specialties is published each year. No need to search YouTube.

www.usna.edu

NAVAL ACADEMY CLASS OF 2022 OBTAIN CAREER ASSIGNMENTS

NAVAL ACADEMY CLASS OF 2022 OBTAIN CAREER ASSIGNMENTS page for USNA News Center at USNA.edu. Updated Sat Mar 02 10:22:30 EST 2024.
www.usna.edu


And as for all those facilities mentioned by the other poster, officers from all commissioning sources and specialties and services, and enlisted veterans from all specialties find employment in places like that as federal civilians and contractors. It’s not just about where you graduated from and whether you flew anything.
 
OldRetSWO said:
LCDR Jonny Kim, also a USNA Grad is also an Astronaut and was a SEAL.
Click to expand...
He is not a USNA grad. He was an enlisted SEAL and commissioned Medical Corps via STA-21.

Not sure if it was ever disallowed in black and white, but enlisted SEALs don't end up at the academy.
 
In the NAPS class before mine, there was a midshipman candidate who came from BUDS, or had maybe just finished it. Not sure if he earned his badge and had been assigned to a team, but he did come from that world. I know he went on the Academy, and would have been c/o '95. I do not know if he stuck around and graduated.
 
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