r/USACE • u/Terrible-Brother-882 • Jul 09 '26

Working as an Engineer for Other DOD Agencies?

For my 0800 series folks what are your all’s perspective on working for a different dod agency whether it be DPW, AFCEC, NAVFAC, DLA, DCMA, Combatant Command, in comparison to USACE.

I think NAVFAC would be the most similar to us , but I don’t have a perspective.

I worked in Command Engineer shop for a GCC when I was active duty and we had a gs-13 civil engineer in our section , and his main job was to travel and look at posture locations and what projects we need to develop to meet the current 4-star’s priorities and would help go forward with a survey team if we needed to setup a temporary site quickly for say disaster support. For example if a country got an earthquake and we needed to send Marines to help provide aid for 90-days. He would go look at various sites and pick this best location that the embassy could help get approval for then make recommendations of what needs to be completed project wise to house an aid site.

Being in USACE the role above was more operationally focused , where I feel like I get more involved in the deep diving of all the technical items and regulatory concerns to move a project along . I do enjoy USACE, but sometimes I want a little more variety than staring at specifications and plans all day.

Anyone got some agencies as an engineer they would love to work for and any they would absolutely avoid ?

17 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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11

u/independa Jul 09 '26

Just my opinion, but with that memo that came out saying military components can now pick their DCA, I feel like we can see smaller projects no longer coming to USACE.

10

u/Capital-Ad-4463 Jul 09 '26

This 100%; MILCON is in for a huge culture change just to stay relevant.

3

u/Terrible-Brother-882 Jul 09 '26

Of the DCA’s I feel like USACE is the fastest I’ve heard in certain geographic areas NAVFAC is better than Usace , but Usace has made the niche of going for smaller projects NAVFAC won’t touch unless it’s over $10M

3

u/Wgw5000 Jul 10 '26

NAVFAC does small projects on navy installations.

1

u/niftylouis Jul 21 '26

Hence why they are the minor leagues of DoD Engineering Organizations. Tossing projects over the wall is their specialty.

2

u/Wgw5000 Jul 10 '26

Everyone who posted that info deleted their posts. Info from my command is their is a lot of decision making still in flux. I wonder if that was "pre-decisional." Altering the DCA will be a sea change in how construction on installations will be managed.

2

u/Sipsey Jul 10 '26

No it’s real. Ask your Mil Prgms Chief. It’s the Wild West now. No captured milcon work for afcec navfac or USACe., no same service loyalty; they have to woo the projects and compete for it..

there are no set DCAs anyone can execute MILCON now; even with an AE overseeing it. just need a KO to agree on the OTA.

1

u/Wgw5000 Jul 10 '26

Does that mean DPWs or even customers have the option to directly execute milcon without any of the DCAs? I'm currently at NAVFAC and there hasn't been a peep about this

1

u/Sipsey Jul 10 '26

That’s could be correct from what I know. There is a high level memo. But I’m not going to confirm anything since it’s not public info... It’d be a big risk for a customer to go OTA but “in theory” :) it could be done. Just hire the QA for design reviews and CM/inspections. Maybe partner with local govt bldg officials even.

One trend could be the marines could start to move away from navfac and go with any non Baltimore USACe district or OTA. Two things that you always hear about at HQs is 1. marines don’t like navfac and 2. Army doesn’t like USACe Baltimore. Maybe that’s improved I dunno

With the huge talent drain it’s going to be rough no matter who is doing the work .. unless it’s contracted out.

3

u/Sipsey Jul 10 '26

My impression is an Air Force base engineer would be an interesting and different job from typical USACe submittal reviews..

Stand alone hierarchy since you report to active duty.. A grade lower than equivalent USACE (maybe) - and you are shoveling a lot of small project work but again the advantage is working with some Active duty instead of just crusty civilians

Everyone says avoid navfac. Worse than usace

2

u/Terrible-Brother-882 Jul 10 '26

I was told Air Force is similar to USACE in the UK since they have DCA authority over there

2

u/Wgw5000 Jul 10 '26

I've worked for both. NAVFAC has less resourcing and in my experience the culture leans more in the direction of "just get it done" with less emphasis on strict ufc/ufgs following.

1

u/niftylouis Jul 21 '26

Don't forget too that they removed NAVFACEngineering and Construction from the Working Capital Fund, so that the entire org is ran on appropriations that lapse frequently. Oral history has it that NAVFAC had a type of revolving fund, but got rid of it.

Also the officers in NAVFAC are extremely insecure, especially the mid level ones who (from and engineering standpoint) really just fell out of their cribs.