Hi, I'm a civil engineer (BS Dec12) and I've been trying to join the navy civil engineering corps, but each time I've applied I've been no select, told it was competitive and encouraged to reapply. I'm 22, 3.0 gpa, licensed eit, and I work for a midsize engineering firm. My recruiter suggests I apply for another designation, but I'm not sure what else I can do as an engineer. My parents were both navy (pilot/intel) but aren't sure what to tell me, so I was wondering if anyone knew what else I could do as an engineer and had any experience/advice?
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engineers in the navy
- Thread starter jay1991
- Start date
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
For CEC, besides the GPA the biggest factor for selection is the interview score. I had an applicant with a 3.01 GPA (well below the competitive average), but aced the interview and got selected.
As for other programs involving engineering, there's the Nuclear Propulsion Program. Once again a 3.0 GPA is on the low side, but I've seen folks with 2.9s get selected and big Navy is hurting for Nukes.
http://www.navy.com/careers/nuclear-energy.html
If Nuclear Engineering isn't something that interests you, there's always Pilot/NFO/SWO. Many of these programs involve engineering of sorts. And of course, you can always lateral transfer to CEC later on in your career if you choose this option. I've personally seen a Pilot and a SWO make the move to CEC.
As for other programs involving engineering, there's the Nuclear Propulsion Program. Once again a 3.0 GPA is on the low side, but I've seen folks with 2.9s get selected and big Navy is hurting for Nukes.
http://www.navy.com/careers/nuclear-energy.html
If Nuclear Engineering isn't something that interests you, there's always Pilot/NFO/SWO. Many of these programs involve engineering of sorts. And of course, you can always lateral transfer to CEC later on in your career if you choose this option. I've personally seen a Pilot and a SWO make the move to CEC.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
I don't know what the thoughts are of the current CEC accessions officers but with the ones I dealt with if you interviewed with them and weren't picked up then you weren't going to get a second chance, too many people out there.
You can apply for most anything with an Eng. BS, although Nuc may require a higher GPA. Have you taken the ASTB/OAR yet? It should help you decide what to shoot for.
BzB
I haven't taken the astb, it wasn't required for cec. I was encouraged to reapply so I would like to think I was given and would be given another chance, but I don't know. Are nuclear officers required to do submarine tours and is there a big difference between a swo and a nuclear swo? Are there any other engineering positions similar to cec or is everything else swo? I wear glasses so I've never considered pilot/nfo. Thanks for answering my questions
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
Did your OR say to reapply or did you get a message from the CEC accessions officer saying to reapply?
I ask this because during my entire tour if the CEC liked a person but didn't have enough spots they would "table" the application until the next board.
That really depends on what you mean when you say "engineering positions." If you want to stay in the Civil Engineering world, yeah it's CEC or bust. If you're willing to branch out, there are more options.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Subs is not engineering any more than conventional SWO divo working for the cheng is. The stakes and standard of knowledge are higher because it's a nuclear reactor instead of a gas turbine engines.
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Yes, mainly in education, and a long, very tough Nuclear Power school (which I doubt your GPA would qualify for).
Nope, only CEC does civil engineering in the USN.
All that leaves is Aviation & SWO. An aviation eye exam would probably DQ you for SNA, but SNFO may be available if your eyes can be corrected to 20/20? SWO is an option you can try, but it's very tight & competitive at present, and your GPA is a problem.
Soooo... it appears it's SNFO or SWO, either of which require a decent OAR, plus a high ASTB score for SNFO.
Over to you jaybird...
Roger that.
BzB
I was an engineering major with a 3.0 gpa with glasses and went SNFO. SNFO is not engineering related (it helps learn systems... maybe) but I love it.
I never considered aviation because of glasses until I was not selected for NUPOC. I was applying NUPOC to "stay in engineering". Besides CEC there aren't real engineering positions in the Navy, just "engineering inclined" jobs, so that is not as much a consideration as one would think.
I never considered aviation because of glasses until I was not selected for NUPOC. I was applying NUPOC to "stay in engineering". Besides CEC there aren't real engineering positions in the Navy, just "engineering inclined" jobs, so that is not as much a consideration as one would think.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
I stand corrected. While it might not be directly engineering-related like CEC, Nuclear Propulsion is still a technical field.
BusyBee, I had an applicant with a 2.9 GPA get selected for Nuke, so anything is possible especially with a 3.0 GPA. While the GPA is lower than the average, if the applicant can explain the reason(s) why to the boards it can help his chances of selection.
BusyBee, I had an applicant with a 2.9 GPA get selected for Nuke, so anything is possible especially with a 3.0 GPA. While the GPA is lower than the average, if the applicant can explain the reason(s) why to the boards it can help his chances of selection.
Jay: First of all, I need to "apologize" to everyone above who has also given you tons of great advice. You need to digest it all, I suppose, and figure out exactly what it is that you want to do in the Navy…or the military writ larger…or whatever. You come from "good stock" (Aviation and Intel, yes?). I'm surprised, kinda, that they didn't tell you that you can be whatever you want to be.
With regards to CEC…yeah, if your passion is totally into vertical/horizontal construction, building/repairing airfields, or dams, bridges, railroads, flood levees, etc., etc…seems like CEC would be the only fit for you…IN THE NAVY. Have you also looked at Army's Corps of Engineers? I'm not sure that this isn't maybe a much bigger and richer path…you should check it out. I have NO idea what parallels may exist in the Marine Corps or Air Force…but I'm sure the latter has opportunities as well. Marines, I think, kinda sorta rely on the Navy SEABEEs for that stuff…with many tactical exceptions.
IF, however, your desire is to serve your nation in a position of responsibility and leadership…like Mom and Dad did…I think you have a wide-open set of options to think about. Probably not "pilot", but I wore glasses from 8th Grade and spent 3 decades as an NFO in the Navy…which I frankly "stumbled into". Couldn't have asked for anything better.
Your engineering "savvy" will serve you very well…wherever you go. Trust me. Knowledge of any technical sort will never let you down and will always have application. Usually when you least expect it. "Hey…who here knows how to fix the broken cord on this damned coffee pot?!?" There MAY be days like that…
Were I you, I'd go with the Recruiter's recommendation and "open the aperture" to whatever path he/she thinks you're best suited for. SWO? SNFO? Intel? Who knows…it's all good. Nothing sez "leadership" on your future resume quite like having been a true leader…in the service of your nation…if only for the initial commitment. No need to think beyond that…few people do.
Best of luck. We always need "A Few Good Women"…you seem very well qualified in so many ways.
Cheers, R1
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
I had a guy selected nuke with a similar GPA, he did well in all his tech classes (lowest grades were B's) but had C's and B's in non tech classes.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Yea, that's kind of my point. During the 6 months of power school you'll do some undergrad-level introductory engineering courses, but at a much much faster pace than if you took them in college. But past that, the focus shifts entirely to operations and the bar for theory is set at a high school level of understanding. You start integrating torque curves during an SSMG checkout and the E-divver is most likely going to look at you like you have two heads. He just wants you to regurgitate the couple of sentences out of the S&EPM.
Are you good at rote memorization? Can you read and follow directions? Can you compare a number written on a piece of paper to its specification at the top or left and accurately determine if it is less than, greater than, or equal to that number? Can you follow a flow chart out of the appropriate book that your Chief digs up if something breaks? Congratulations, you've got all the technical ability required to succeed as a sub nuke.
Also, EOOW is considered a stepping-stone to bigger and better things in the sub community. The emphasis is on learning and mastering how to employ the ship. At least when you're on the scope you use trigonometry, the nuke plant only requires arithmetic.
If you want to do subs, do it because you like the idea of the mission set, which you will certainly have a hand in as an officer no matter what phase of your tour you are in. Do it because you want to be work with a bunch of tightly knit and mostly smart/motivated social misfits. Do it because you don't mind the idea of spending months in a steel tube that has to be so quiet it can't even eject its garbage. But don't do it because you think you'll be solving any sort of complex engineering problems because you won't, no matter how much those NUPOC brochures say otherwise, because your experience won't live up to your expectations.
PS: You will meet very few sub officers who don't think that the best of times on a sub were spent as surfaced OOD on a warm, clear evening or midwatch. Just food for thought.
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