The Resume of NSA Leaker Edward Snowden: Stunning (High school drop-out makes $200K year?)

Doug Ross @ Journal ^ | June 9, 2013 

I'd hate to be in the Public Relations department at government contractor Booz Allen Hamilton this weekend. It's not just the fact that Snowden is/was a Booz employee.
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.