Drone Pilot Medals !

[BLS53]

This isn't anything new. I had an uncle who was a clerk in a B-17 squadron in WWII. Never left the relative safety of the English countryside. He had numerous decorations, and locally was considered a war hero.

I'm officially a Vietnam Era veteran, but I didn't enter the Navy until January 1974.

The Bronze Star seems to carry a lot of weight with Army types. The only recipient I know, is a Vietnam vet, who as a civilian has been an overbearing tyrant for the last 40 years, that no one can stand to be around.

Despite the image the military likes to present, military awards are meaningless as to an individuals worth. With people like fighter ace/felon, Duke Cunningham, being a prime example.

Military decorations are something to be proud of, but worrying about who deserved one and who didn't, is a waste of time.

 

[BLS53]

A drone pilot wouldn't make a pimple on a real pilots ass.

This is just from my lurking on some aviation forums, but my understanding is that drone pilots are officers who have graduated from the regular Air Force flight training program.

 

[BLS53]

When I was learning to fly 20 yrs ago, I found MS Flight Simulator harder than the real thing, albeit much less stresful.

Flying teaches your the meaning of comitment. The number of landings always equals the number of takeoffs, you don't have the option to disengage.

MSFS has always been too sensitive in pitch. Impossible to hold a constant altitude, unless you engage the autopilot. Using elevator trim is no help.

 

[REWahoo]

This is just from my lurking on some aviation forums, but my understanding is that drone pilots are officers who have graduated from the regular Air Force flight training program.

While this was once true, the AF changed the requirements in 2010:

Drones were initially required to be operated by fighter, bomber and other pilots, but two years ago the service created a separate training pipeline designed specifically for training drone pilots. They get only limited training in manned aircraft before learning how to pilot an RPA.

Drones change 'Top Gun' culture of Air Force

 

[jclarksnakes]

This is just from my lurking on some aviation forums, but my understanding is that drone pilots are officers who have graduated from the regular Air Force flight training program.

It does not matter whether they are flight school graduates or not. If they are not getting shot at they do not deserve a medal that has higher precedence than a Bronze Star.

 

[clifp]

It is interesting when I first heard about them i thought this isn't a bad idea. One of the reasons I didn't finish AFROTC was once it became clear that my eyesight was never going to allow my to fly, I figured a non-aviator in the Air Force would always be a second class citizen.

In the future I think we will need more drone pilots and some pretty damn good ones. So maybe these medals will change the prestige of being a drone pilot a bit.

However, after reading the thread I see was mistaken. It is important to draw a clear line between rewarding some one for doing something extraordinarily well and doing something that requires valor.

In the military you get promoted for being effective, and competent, and showing leadership (well at least in theory )
You get the important medals for being brave.

 

[BLS53]

It does not matter whether they are flight school graduates or not. If they are not getting shot at they do not deserve a medal that has higher precedence than a Bronze Star.

This reminds me of when the Navy became concerned with political correctness. and modified the Chief 's initiation. There was an outcry among the old salts, that new Chiefs would be nothing more than E-7's, because the initiation ceremony had been watered down.

 

[mickeyd]

Looks like the Pentagon has reconsidered the Distinguished Warfare Medal.

Why not just rank it below the PH and BSM? Those guys deserve some color on their uniforms!

The Pentagon said on Monday it will not issue a new medal to honor drone pilots and cyber warriors after uproar over the decision to rank this decoration above some medals given to troops wounded or killed in battle.

Pentagon scraps medal for drone pilots after uproar | Reuters