Comments on: Drone Operators

By: Blacktail

Blacktail — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:47:31 +0000

“Overall, Predator and Reaper crews tend to be “tired, disgruntled and disillusioned,” Kent said.”

Driving 10 miles from home, sitting behind a computer screen in an air-conditioned bunker at Ft. Comfort, subsisting on Cappuccino and Subway sandwiches, and coming home to their families every night, all without EVER risking injury or death, must REALLY make life hard on them.

Of course, if they ever whine about it in earshot of a Thunderchief pilot who flew down the Devil’s Throat, I can’t guarantee the “Palm Pilots” suffer any injuries.

By: Neil C. Reinhardt

Neil C. Reinhardt — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:03:31 +0000

OPPS, My Bad!

Shame be upon me.

I should have said “KILLING Via what is in essence, a “Video Game” would NOT bother me a bit as I would be killing hose who fully intend to kill me, my loved ones, friends and all who are not members of some particular Moslem sect.

(Just as the Christians have in history and in very recent times.)

By: Neil C. Reinhardt

Neil C. Reinhardt — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:23:56 +0000

Sorry B. Woodman

Both Logically and Factually, STRESS IS STRESS!

PERIOD!

END OF STORY!

And while the stress of killing would be terrible IF you had no idea if you were killing innocents or not, knowing those you are killing would be killing both those on our side as well as others, and cutting off the heads of ANY who do not agree with them would NOT bother me AT ALL!

By: B Woodman

B Woodman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:34:36 +0000

Neil,
Yes, being a firefighter is stressful, but a firefighter is NOT fighting with and trying to kill people, he’s attempting to SAVE people.
And undercover police, as part of their cover, usually DO NOT go home every night.
Flight deck crew, are support & are NOT actively attempting to kill people. AND they are not going home every night either.
Lots of differences there, in all your flawed “comparisons”. These remote UAV operators are a new unique breed. And it will take awhile to see how things shake down. But I can go with Jerry’s idea, make the operation & mission a TDY.

By: Vstress

Vstress — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:07:07 +0000

I can’t see why they would be complaining about the family nagging them… and family pressures on them.

If they complain about that, they should just be kept on base – why not just keep them locked in and take their telephones… oh right, they wouldn’t like that either.

By: Hawk

Hawk — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:22:31 +0000

Whine, whine.

I’d let them bust me in rank and take a pay cut to be trained as a UAS pilot.

By: Neil C. Reinhardt

Neil C. Reinhardt — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:57:01 +0000

I think they should find another line of work as they sure are not cut out for what the are doing!

Stress? Aside from those who are actually engaged in combat, try being an undercover cop or a fireman. How about a flight deck crewman on a carrier and/or the MANY other fields where the sligtest mistake can get you badly injuried or killed?

By: Captain Ned

Captain Ned — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:11:27 +0000

This is the first war where someone operating a plane loaded with weapons that kill bad guys gets to go home to the wife every night. Even though they’re miles away, those Predator controllers know that their direct action has taken lives, as they’ve seen the aftermath.

Jerry has an excellent idea. Guys driving armed UAVs should not be at home. War and home are two concepts that just don’t go with each other, so Predator drivers should get TDY to someplace not home.

By: Murdoc

Murdoc — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:43:17 +0000

Jerry: Actually, I think that makes a lot of sense.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:38:06 +0000

I made a suggestion on a military discussion board awhile back that I think would solve the whole disconnect problem for drone pilots and operators.

While still remaining in the US, place them in an area of the base, or maybe even create another location stateside away from their homes, and sequester them for 3-6 month tours, just like their counterparts on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.

They may not like it, but I think the bigger problem isn’t their job, it’s going back home every night after spending the day hovering remotely over the war zones.