They are primarily a DOD-associated research lab (even located on an US Air Force Base), and so …

… They are primarily a DOD-associated research lab (even located on an US Air Force Base), and so most of the projects have some military-oriented mission. Their mission is entrepreneurial-minded (which I found cool), in that they do the "basic research" and prototyping to prove viability and then the DOD turns over the project to a contractor to make feasible. While I was there I worked in their GeoIntelligence and Natural Language groups, doing research which I'd ultimately come to understand as being relevant for Project Maven (year 1) and PRISM (year 2). While I'm sure as an intern my contributions weren't directly related to or otherwise leveraged for these programs, in hindsight it was clear that this was the bigger picture that the work was contributing to. Take from this what you will. Most of the anecdotes that I've read through in the comments mirrors my experience. However, one thing I see missing was how opportunity was "metered" out. …