Our intelligence apparatus seemed to be all the more dangerous and effective. Both to the citizenry and foreign powers. When it didn’t consist entirely of the “Professionally educated”.

If you run through the careers of people who’d play significant roles in the formation of the American Intelligence Apparatus. And are even considered pioneers of their niche. You’d find a surprising number of them. Had seemingly mundane careers. Salesmen, Entrepreneurs, White Collar Middle Management etc. No expensive degrees in political science or geopolitics. If they even had degrees at all. Some were in fact College Dropouts.