In combat?

 

The recent arguments seem more reasonable. I just see that things are changing in regards to our combat forces. This will necessitate other changes. Combat is changing.

 

It doesn't take combat to die in a tactical aircraft, perhaps if we rigged the drone jockey's chair with a device that would spread him across an acre or two in the event of a crash or shootdown we could come close to the risk of flying a real aircraft.

 

UAV Operators are a lot like ATC. They have their place, yes we need them... but if either screws up they still go home at the end of the day.

 

Combat is always changing, valor remains the same and it is not subject to dictates or whims.

 

This.

In no way does someone who flies a drone from an armchair rate a medal that would rank above a combat medal earned in the line of fire where loss of life or limb is a distinct possibility, regardless of circumstance (like saving troops pinned down, in the example brought up).

A drone "pilot" (<---note the quotations) is in the rear with the gear, sipping a cold coke sitting in an air-conditioned van. The Bronze star, Silver star, the DFC, and the MOH are for guys who can get killed doing what they do.

A drone "pilot" doesn't qualify. PERIOD.

 

So in other words for doing their job? Full disclosure, 95% of the ribbons on my uniform were for just doing my job in a manner that was expected of me (or at least what I expected of myself). Granted, there's a need for recognizing the efforts of your people, but putting a this medal above a BSM? Hard to believe.

Seriously, what would a drone driver do that would be deserving of this medal that you wouldn't expect of him/her in the first place? Operate it in a manner for which they haven't been trained? Put themselves, I mean, the drone at risk of being shot down? As for finding someone or something that's difficult to find, protecting friendlies who can't get you on the radio, or taking out enemy combatants to save friendlies' lives, well that's what the job calls for, doesn't it? My squadron did that routinely these past 10+ years, and more often than not it was a "counter" toward an Air Medal...get 10 of them (now 15 or 20 I think) and you had enough missions to get an AM.

 

A medal costs little to produce; it's real value lies in the perception of merit which it inspires in the holder's colleagues. That perception is diluted as the number of similar (or higher) medals awarded is increased. Such "inflation" may lead to the establishment of new decorations for valor, such as the Gold and Platinum Stars.

 

Christ, I thought this was an Onion article. Unreal.

If their in-theater LRE gets mortared, they can get a CAR.

 

There all kinds of civilians doing important work at Langley, Ft. Meade, NGA, etc. They don't need a combat decoration.

If a UAS operator is somehow actually physically involved in combat, there are already awards he can get. If he's plinking baddies from CONUS with a warm starbucks latte close at hand, there are plenty of atta-boy medals for that too.

But this medal should not rate higher than a MSM.