Nothing too surprising here since the armed forces can't recruit and retain enough intelligence personnel, DIA does the smart thing and asks for more money in hiring those who exit the services plus try to hire those straight out of college who are not interested in military service. I've spent a lot of time around DIA analysts, and the various lot of CIA, NSA, and FBI types. The one thing that makes DIA appealing is the amount of money they're willing to pay versus the other agencies. This doesn't always equate to more quality but it does mean more appeal for those who are looking at either NSA or CIA. I've seen a number of young, smart, and talented people leave NSA and CIA for the money offered at DIA. It comes down to putting food on the table and supporting your family, especially if you live in the Beltway area.