Originally Posted by
AirGunner
Left Wing, as a currently serving combat veteran of Afghanistan/Iraq who has reluctantly pulled triggers in anger, I don't think my comment is presumptuous. I have participated in combat live and in person, not via a remote control station and TV screen. There is a HUGE difference between seeing it on a screen versus actually doing it in person. Additionally, I have friends that are currently UAV operators that were previous "real life" flyers and they will tell you the same thing. Does their job have stress, yes I'm sure it does...but it is not at the same level of those who actually leave the wire on a daily basis and get shot at. No chest thumping or bragging, just a simple fact.
You are chest thumping. What does YOUR combat experiences have to do with the stresses of RPA guys? Why do you have a dog in this fight? Are you mad that the AF might actually be taking this issue seriously? Are you mad because they're not paying more attention to you? Just because you have seen the things you've seen and done the things you have, doesn't mean that it's not possible that RPA pilots and sensors might not have some stress issues with their job. I, for one, have never flown RPAs. But, maybe, just maybe, there might be some stress involved in spending 12 hours in a box, being responsible for dropping live missiles on someone, deconflicting with the guys on the ground, actually killing someone, then going home to play with the kids and sleep with the wife. All coupled with the thought that he would probably rather be doing something else and knowing he's going to do it again for the next 6 days. You think he left all those issues at work? You think it wouldn't affect him? Why so angry about this? You actually sound jealous over this. And you're not the only one. Some of these posts are just screaming out "Validate me!"