Booz Allen Hamilton, Edward Snowden's employer, is one of America's biggest security contractors and a significant part of the constantly revolving door between the US intelligence establishment and the private sector.
The current of director [sic] of national intelligence (DNI), James Clapper, who issued a stinging attack on the intelligence leaks this weekend, is a former Booz Allen executive.
And it's not just that DNI Clapper is an ex-BAH exec and his statement is just a tad embarrassing.
No, let's examine the reported resume of Snowden (dates are estimated):• Raised in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and later moved to Maryland.
• Attended a community college, but never completed his coursework and never graduated from high school.
• 2003-2004: U.S. Army, discharged after training accident
• 2005: NSA, Security Guard, University of Maryland.
• 2006: CIA, IT security.
• 2007-2009: CIA, diplomatic cover, Switzerland.
• 2009-2013: NSA Contractor, Dell and later Booz Allen Hamilton.
• Salary: around $200,000.
What? Seriously? So a guy who never even graduated from high school (he later reportedly earned a G.E.D.) and started his professional career as a security guard, got hired by a couple of defense contractors and -- at age 29 -- was making $200K a year?
If this story is true, I don't know what's more bizarre: the leak itself or the sheer profligacy of the federal spending machine.
Update 6/11/2013: Booz Allen Hamilton has revealed that Snowden lied about his salary: it was $120,000 -- not $200,000.
It's actually kind of refreshing that a self-taught IT whiz can get a good job. That's the way the USA used to be, before credentialism dominated.
ReplyDeleteI've met too many credentialed idiots getting high salaries in government.
I completely agree. Tons of overeducated idiots in work places these days
ReplyDeleteI have two cousins and a brother-in-law who all left the Navy after working on computers and all three make nice six-figure salaries working for private companies. I was the same MOS as Bradley Manning back before computerization and have made over $100K in sales.
ReplyDeleteThis "Edward Snowden" is a snow job. The name is fake, a computer-generated one, with the repeating letters w-d-e. Repeating clusters of letters common in computer-generated names, which is also the thumbprint all over the Sandy Hook hoax. The guy's presentation is rehearsed. He is an actor, and not a very good one.
ReplyDeleteThis "Edward Snowden" is a snow job. The name is fake, a computer-generated one, with the repeating letters w-d-e. Repeating clusters of letters common in computer-generated names, which is also the thumbprint all over the Sandy Hook hoax. The guy's presentation is rehearsed. He is an actor, and not a very good one.
ReplyDeleteThis "Edward Snowden" is a snow job. The name is fake, a computer-generated one, with the repeating letters w-d-e. Repeating clusters of letters common in computer-generated names, which is also the thumbprint all over the Sandy Hook hoax. The guy's presentation is rehearsed. He is an actor, and not a very good one.
ReplyDeleteThis is a typical resume of some of the best IT people I've ever worked with. You apparently would be surprized by the people at the top of engineering departments, that could make Einstein look retarded, are the people that never finished college and just worked their asses off.
ReplyDeleteSince when does the CIA hire anyone who doesn't have a high school diploma? How, exactly, does one go from being a security guard at an NSA facility to being in IT security? Again, all without benefit of even a high school diploma?
ReplyDeleteAnd, seriously? This guy was supposedly training for Special Forces? Don't make me laugh!
I don't know what's going on here, but it sure smells.
Doubt this story all you want. Then realize in 2017 after the NSA's massive new data center is online that the next President inherits a complete and total security state for targeting political enemies.
ReplyDeleteEven if this particular one is a fake, I completely agree with the first couple of comments: not a fan of credentialism. Credentials are no indicator of competence (or even, sadly, of knowledge), and should never be a reason to evaluate anyone's results or capabilities. Outside of the hard sciences, degrees are useful as a filtering mechanism for companies that aren't willing to expend the effort to select the most capable candidates, or that have some agenda in mind (like immigration). And in some fields, excessive formal education is, to my mind, counterproductive. The constant change of any tech security field is going to mean that quality of thinking is far superior to any course of study for a long long time.
ReplyDeleteKill the messenger, after all the real story is the leaker, not the leak.
ReplyDeleteSo Ross, what do they have on you?
Gee, getting a high-paying job without extensive education credentials? Why, it seems unpossible!
ReplyDelete- Dave Thomas, Wendy's founder, dropped out of High School
- Colonel Sanders, KFC founder, dropped out of Grade School at 12
- Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder, dropped out of college
- Dean Kamen, Segway founder, only took one semester at college
- Bill Gates, dropped out of college
Just sayin'
Regarding self-taught IT, I have no quibbles with that. But this guy was apparently a network admin wonk, not a guy working advanced crypto, coming up with new advances in NSA tech, or other high-value work.
ReplyDelete@Museman - yep, love and appreciate entreprenuers. This ain't one of 'em. This is a guy working for the government and making a killing with little to no real experience.
Bottom line: if this schmuck was making $200K, what does an excellent computer scientist with a master's degree in CS and 15 years of successful experience make?
Major disconnect, in my view.
Again, though, who knows whether the guy's claim was accurate or not.
From CBS: "Snowden's access to classified material was not as an intelligence analyst, but as a computer technician. "According to him, he's supposedly involved in computer security so that allows you to roam through the system. His authorities are nothing like what he said they were, though," he said."
ReplyDeleteI love that some folks think his "credentials" make him fishy. This of course is BS.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, since he clearly knew IT w/o taking out an Ivy league mortgage- he didn't fear job loss like someone who did.
This nation vastly over estimates the value of "credentials." Universities, colleges, bankers, and business promotors want credentials- not becaue they are necessary- but because hiring people w credentials makes THEM look good.
Booz Allen Hamilton jobs really do not pay that high unless you are in upper management. Moreover he was a system administrator and not some genius programmer. I suspect he's lying.
ReplyDelete"Bottom line: if this schmuck was making $200K, what does an excellent computer scientist with a master's degree in CS and 15 years of successful experience make?"
ReplyDeleteThe respectable bourgeoisie has always resented that people are willing to pay big money for skills that can be self-taught, that the wall between their class and the ruffians has a leak.
But Snowden is not just a schmuck. He's a schmuck with skills, intel experience and (until recently) a clearance.
Before offshoring, I knew people in Silicon Valley who made $60/hr as semi-skilled junior-mid-level network/support grunts, watching network monitor applications and calling the salaried people when things break.
For skilled system administration (troubleshooting, application installation, user management, etc.) work on systems housing classified info, $100/hr (or $200k/yr if you prefer) on a W-2 basis, in a high-cost area like SF or NYC or Hawaii is perfectly reasonable. Of course, part of that money is supposed to bribe you to stay on the reservation...
(word verification: gakist but)
I used to work for them, and I know how cheap they are. I find it hard to believe that they would pay someone non-credentialed this kind of money. Something stinks to high heaven here, it doesn't make sense.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while it is true that the non-credentialed can make big bucks starting their own business becoming mega entrepreneurs, you will not find those whose skill sets can be seen as a dime a dozen suddenly make a multiple of a decent living wage. It just doesn't happen, why would they pay a guy with run of the mill skills 200k? Cmon, wake up and smell the coffee!
ReplyDeleteLOL - he's real enough.
ReplyDeleteMaybe your education got in the way of your learning.
Many here attack this writer for not believing the salary, but as a former senior network admin who worked with Viacom, Panasonic and ABC, I have to agree the salary is suspect myself. When I became a CTO, well then the 200K is more accurate, but not for a 29 year old IT hack without a degree. Sorry. He's no visionary like another commenter posted with Dave Thomas of Wendy's and more.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, when the media covers a story like this so much, you can bet that they are covering up for something else they are not showing. This is a 100% hoax!
For those who claim that credentials are bogus, the next they are need of medical care or surgery they can visit their local grocery store. The butcher in the meat department does not have an MD but he is a genius and self-tough in anatomy...
ReplyDeleteHe said: “I had full access to the full rosters of everyone working at the NSA, the entire intelligence community, and undercover assets all around the world,” This seems very unlikely to me. I cannot imagine he would be granted these kind of rights by his managing superiors. If he was that “cream of the crop” to be holding a job doing something that could merit complete access to everything like he says, why would he be working in a backwater location like Hawaii? But more importantly, it goes against well known and well used “best practices” in one of the most unlikely to make this kind of mistake environments.
ReplyDeleteI recently resigned from a six-figure PowerPoint Ranger position with a leading defense contractor. To be exact; my salary, benefits and 401K contribution was approximately 175K.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that the US government would allow a non-educated / non-matriculated "pretend geek" to be employed, with such a high salary and such a security clearances.
ReplyDeleteThis confirms to me that like in Iraq, Pakistan and with many current US defense contracts to pretend terrorist states, that only those who succeed and find high management positions seems to be a friends-of-a-friends network, where family members can find work after their dad/relative provide connections and introductions towards a job because they are "trusted" and "watched". This pattern is repeated in all allied states, were a closed clique dominates these security functions.
Sorry to say, the US intelligence apparatus, like its army / security apparatus is run by a small group of trusted individuals, who from experience, have no interest in upholding the law or human rights of people. I have been affected by state sponsored hacking and have had my personal life torn to shreds, this will make it much easier for the US to harass non-US citizens. There is a class and confined mentality in the US security apparatus that is counter productive and narrow minded - Mr Snowden's expose means nothing will change.
Good on Mr Snowden that he openly "rejected" his sub-culture - l would say, however, knowing the US it probably is a black flag operation which is designed to hide / distort information about your increasingly sophisticated elint surveillance capabilities - that is what this system is - except its over the internet, and can tap into everybody's networks.
Trust is relative.
The service school academy mafia controls entry into the "Black" programs. Rarely do outsiders gain access to this world without a head-nod from a former military colleague.
ReplyDelete... Lee Harvey Oswald real name was Kermit the Frog, nobody noticed because all the TV footage was in black&white.
ReplyDeleteNothing makes sense about this dude. He is an actual person but why can't he be found? His resume is obviously BS so the question I ponder is who made this up and why destroy diplomatic ties with our allies and other friendly nations? Somebody very powerful. And better yet why would he pretend to be Snowden? This will disrupt foreign trade and be another blow to our economy. I believe certain elitist want America to become bankrupt .They already have their money the government Rep. And Dem. Have control by keeping us divided who's pulling the strings is it the UN, IMF, or the damn Rothchilds who owns and controls enough to destroy us from within by influencing our leaders who no longer listen to We the people. Is it a common idealology shared by elitist? Rome is falling and the commoners are suffering. We are part of a global economy who gains most by global colonization. And that cannot be achieved as long as America is strong.
ReplyDeleteMost of you guys are clowns, any clever person can teach themselves IT and climb with the right mentors. Realize that the government overpays for everything and the classified environment is worth at least 50k bump to your salary. Good developers are on 100k+ good IT guys the same. And contractors earn double what full-time start do. It seems legit for me.
ReplyDeleteits playing the MEDIA...sometimes its necesary to play the media....while something really big is happening...something that would cause a runamok in the streets upheaval...
ReplyDeleteSo Mr. Snowden has been in Switzerland when the OSINT Center has been established there.
ReplyDelete"Open Source Center
Created in 2005 by the Director of National Intelligence, with the CIA as its executive agent
Several hundred full-time personnel
Advances the intelligence community’s exploitation of open source material; helps to develop mini open source centers within the respective agencies
Nurtures acquisition, procurement, analysis, dissemination, and sharing of open source information, products, and services throughout the government
Makes reports, translations, and analytical products available online in a secure website available to government officials (
www.opensource.gov )"
Sources: Intelligence Community Directive No. 301; CRS Report for Congress, 5 December 2007.
http://www.css.ethz.ch/publications/pdfs/CSS-Analyses-32.pdf
Zurich that is..
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the $120,000 salary is real (Hawaii has a high cost of living) and then the bill to the government was $200,000 for this contractor. So Booz made $80k or so a year off him. How did he progress to this job from being a guard? Easy, he was cleared for the guard job then went from there. You can have the best credentials in the world but if you aren't cleared it doesn't matter. For example Brigham Young is a big recruiting spot for the intel agencies. Those kids are squeaky clean and easy to clear. Bottom line Booz had a seat to fill, found a guy who could do the work, had the clearance, got a CEH cert. and everybody was happy! haha! On paper everything was terrific.
ReplyDeleteWho can dodge CIA will not be a simple guy!
ReplyDelete