How about DoD?

What is that?

I'm an ME with no regrets. ME is a lot more diverse, you can do everything from designing bicycle frames to specifying irrigation systems. I didn't know what the heck I wanted to do so I went with ME.

Aerospace is obviously a more narrowly focused path.

You can probably do the double without too many extra classes. At least at NCSU, both degrees are offered out of the same Department (MAE).

Good luck!

Dept of Defense. definitely an acronym you should know if your field.

DoD is Department of Defence.

They are in the business of war, and business is good. One of the biggest exports in the U.S. is Security. Going forward into the next three decades the likelyhood is that the military sector of the aerospace industry will show growth, while the civilian/commercial sector is reeling from airline bankruptcies.

If you can specialize in areas such as precision munitions, GPS, RPV's, anti-missile technology, radar, etc. then you will always have a job. Thanks to the Bin Ladin's and future Bin Ladins of the world you will have excellent job security. The war on terror will be a long one- perhaps the longest conflict of modern man, and it won't be an easy win. It is a conflict of ideologies. Depending on your interpretation of history, one could argue there never has been a truly successful conquest of one major ideology over another.

While public opinion of the war on terror and the war in Iraq may be shifting toward the adverse according to polls it will do a lightening fast 180 after the next terrorist attack on U.S. soil, and there will be another.

Of the two oldest professions in the world, war is perhaps one of the most profitable. There is a drawback though: Some people have difficulty moderating the moral implications of a living made off waging war.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

No...it's department of defenSe...with an S...but if you were in the UK, it could be the Ministry of DefenCe with a C ;-)

I wont lay into your politics based on the fact that is not the Lav room...but I will say that with out military spending and yes the war - our economy would be even worse off than it is after Clinton and his years as head idiot in charge.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Get a dod contractor job

What Gary said...then buy a nice German or Italian sports car. Sure you want to keep the US economy moving...buy your import from a US dealer!

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

the hard things about clearance is you need one to get a job, but can't get one unless you have a job and he can't apply himself. DSS doesn't allow that. everything is based on need to know.

i am a CE for the DoD. i do network design and intergration for the navy.

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ishi no ue ni san nen | Perseverance will win in the end. | Blog | @nebmot | Strava | Instagram |

depends on the level of clearance

Have you 'interned' with an Aerospace firm in order to get your feet wet? (i.e., understanding just what it is you're going to put up with). What is your major? Is it just Aero or MechEE? Advice - get a second major totally unrelated to balance the stress of having to put up with deadlines. This will help both sides of your brain (A & B types).

Aerospace is full of MSEEs, Chemical engineer types (they work a lot of the propulsion technologies, HAZMAT, fuels, etc.), Aero-types (in my line of work) are narrow focused to the vehicle (space, payload, bus, booster, comm, etc.). Your internship--which you should carefully consider, will help you narrow your lane of interest.

Aerospace will be around as long as people want for airpower, speed, friction, fulcrums, air & space travel; even war!

What a concept... .

It is unclear how you came up with the idea Aeros "make more money" but at what expense? Why would you be so interested in making money? Money? It pays my tax bill come April 15, and keeps a roof over my family's head and allows me a couple toys; the rest goes to Uncle Sam and my wife. Call me absent-minded, nerdy; I love what I do.

Question: Will you have debt upon graduation (e.g., student loans?). Try this: Find a Defense firm which (if interested in you) will help you pay back a portion of your loan in turn, for an X amount of year commitment. DoD (my line of work) pays the student loans for two of my interns. Good deal. I know Boeing has a similar program.

Plenty of aerospace freethinkers never thought about the dollar before a sense of accomplishment. Many times in a lab, on the flightline, on the launchpad, I forget it's payday because I'm so engrossed in trying to figure a 'concept' for a space vehicle.

My line of work requires long hours, lots of travel, is personality driven and keeps me away from my family. Are you ready for that? The money is great, again.. at what expense? Plus, unless you're a program manager or have a special talent (i.e., a high clearance of sorts), your tenure on a program only goes so far. When the 'effort' is complete, your time on the program is done. If you have a special talent for 'payload' for example, the program manager will definitely remember what you did, how you were able to resolve issue X, which saved the company tons of labor hours which would have been counted against the company's 'Earned Value' for that task.

Get an internship...figure out what you want to do; come back in a year or so and ask the same question.

PM me if you more ?s.

Buena suerte,

- kd

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kestrel driver


DonorsChoose.org (!!!)
bogolight.com (!!!)

well first off intern as soon as you can. You can probably go the middle road the first year and specialize after that. I'm a ME, actually getting my masters in ME now although I have no idea why. Worked a short while for DOD/navy as civilian mech engineer and nuclear engineer. Hated it, I'd really rather do straight design work and that's hard to find, especially where I'm living (Hawaii). When I graduate this semester or next I'm hanging the degree on the wall and going into graphic design. Maybe I'll try to lauch a product or two...

Anyways, get into the industry as soon as you can as it'll give you a much better taste for what work is really like. It'll also let you know if jobs in your area suit you and if you need to move somewhere to find what you want. Anyways good luck. I'm guessing a straight up ME degree gives you more options...

If you think you'll be happier in aerospace, go into that business but perhaps stick with the mech degree. I got an aero degree from Michigan, and to be honest, kids had a difficult time finding jobs out of school whereas the mechs were snapped up. Perception out there was that mechs had more general training and were better suited for jbos in industry. I already had a job lined up so I went to grad school. Ended up with a MS and PhD in mech and started pre-mentioned job about half through. I work in aerospace (government, send people into orbit, so it's not too hard to figure out who I work for) and we have a mix of mechanical, civil, computer, electrical, materials engineers, etc.

For the industry, much of it is at the whim of the government. For civil aviation, pretty much your only choice these days is Boeing. If they are developing a new plane (which they are), times are good. If not, expect thousands of engineers gone through layoffs. For space/defense that depend on government contracts, the rule is you must be flexible. Contracts change or get cancelled. Droves of engineers move from one company to another in just a few weeks if their company loses an existing contract to another company.

what's the difference between an aeroE and a mechE?

one builds weapons the other builds targets? :)

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ΜΟΛΩΝ-ΛΑΒΕ
we're doomed

Not all aeros build weapons or mechs build targets ... What gave you that idea?

Each have specific talents needed to fulfill 'goals.' Let's leave it at that and save the cynicism for the men's room.

- kd

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kestrel driver


DonorsChoose.org (!!!)
bogolight.com (!!!)

Agree with several of the earlier posts. Stick with an ME degree, but steer towards aerospace if that interests you. Plenty of aerospace jobs available to ME people. Take some aerospace electives if you like.

I started out in Aerospace for 1 semester, then transferred to ME when I realized I could still do aviation or space stuff if I wanted, or I could go towards the auto industry, or marine, or etc... Lots more options with an ME degree.

Of course in the end I ended up a meteorologist, so... What you start at in may not be what you finish with, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Lots to learn about yourself in college.

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Justin in Austin, get it? :)

Cool races:
- Redman
- Desoto American Triple T

kd, my post was intended to be a JOKE. i heard it from an ME friend of mine. nothing is to be read into here.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ-ΛΑΒΕ
we're doomed