"More to the point, in intelligence matters, even the Navy gets short shrift from the civies"
The civies are stupid.Not ignorant, actually stupid.
USN Intel is as just good as its carrier pilots.
Coming from a former USAF NCOIC, that's high praise indeed!
They aren't stupid, they are biased, believe they need to protect their territory, and want to be sure that the armed forces don't take funds away from them. Stupid only in ignoring the value of other sources.
The Navy does have the most professional intelligence operations, possibly because they are by default more strategic than tactical.
This from a former USAR collection guy.