Navy 1513 (Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer (AEDO)). 480 hours of formal training translate to 5 validated civilian career pathways with salary bands of $115K–$150K. Sourced from DoD training data and Lightcast labor signals.
Industry tech roles your 1513 background maps to — picked from BLS-anchored occupations using your training, cognitive skills, and systems experience.
What 1513 training already gave you, and the specific gaps to close — not a generic checklist.
The concrete gap to bridge — specific to the roles above, not a generic checklist.
Vets Who Code is a free, full-time software engineering accelerator for veterans, active duty, and military spouses. We close the fundamentals — terminal, web platform, AI tooling, portfolio projects — so the rest of this list becomes specialization, not square one.
See VWC Programs →Cognitive skills your 1513 training built — and where they transfer in civilian work.
AEDOs must understand and model complex air weapon systems, from design to production, to identify potential issues and improvements.
This skill translates to the ability to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems, using models and simulations to optimize performance and mitigate risks.
AEDOs often face situations where they must quickly assess and prioritize tasks related to testing and evaluating new aircraft and weapon systems.
This translates to the ability to quickly assess the urgency and importance of different tasks, enabling efficient allocation of resources and timely decision-making.
AEDOs require a high degree of situational awareness while testing and evaluating aircraft and weapons systems, especially during flying billets.
This involves maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the surrounding environment and potential risks, enabling proactive decision-making and quick responses to unexpected events.
AEDOs use after-action analysis to thoroughly review tests, evaluations, and other activities to identify lessons learned and implement improvements in processes and systems.
This critical review process translates into identifying areas for improvement, developing better strategies, and increasing overall efficiency in subsequent projects or operations.
Adjacent civilian roles your training maps to that conventional military-to-civilian advice tends to miss.
You've been managing complex weapon system acquisition processes, making you adept at understanding and improving organizational efficiency. Management consulting lets you apply your skills to various industries, helping companies optimize their operations.
Adjacent · MatchYou've been responsible for testing and evaluating new aircraft and weapon systems, so you're highly skilled at identifying and mitigating risks. Risk management allows you to use this expertise to assess and manage potential risks in various organizations and industries.
Adjacent · MatchYou've been involved in the entire air weapon system acquisition process from design to production, giving you an end-to-end view of how things are made. As a supply chain analyst, you'll apply your understanding to optimize the flow of goods and services in a variety of companies.
Adjacent · MatchUp to 9 semester hours in Engineering Management or related fields
Study the PMI PMBOK guide, focusing on predictive project management methodologies, stakeholder management, and risk management as applied in non-DoD contexts.
Requires understanding of specific civilian testing standards, legal frameworks, and documentation practices that may differ from military protocols. Focus on statistical analysis and reporting.
Focus on the INCOSE handbook, particularly on model-based systems engineering, architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF), and specific industry standards (e.g., ISO 15288) used in civilian sectors.
Military systems you operated and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| F/A-18E/F Super Hornet | Boeing Aircraft (e.g., 737, 787) for flight testing and evaluation | Operations |
| EA-18G Growler | Electronic warfare testing platforms | Operations |
| AIM-9X Sidewinder Missile | Raytheon Missiles & Defense products - missile systems testing and development | Weapons |
| Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) | Helmet-mounted display systems used in commercial aviation or augmented reality applications | Operations |
| AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar | Advanced radar systems used in weather forecasting, air traffic control, or autonomous driving | Signals |
| Link 16 | Secure data communication networks used in financial transactions or emergency services | Operations |
| Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) Aircraft Division Test Facilities | Commercial flight test centers (e.g., Mojave Air & Space Port), wind tunnels, simulation labs | Aviation |
Pair this guide with the VWC AI-powered translator: drop in your service record, get back ATS-optimized civilian resume language tuned to the tech roles above.