Will the VFA/VAQ/VAW patch wearers welcome the MQ-25 CWO3 to the table, or will they continue in line with what the Marines were doing? Rank means a lot- and if you're breaking with the construct of a normal flying squadron, then you're setting up a caste system in which one guy is more important than the other.
I see your point and I don’t disagree. The first few workups and cruises are probably going to be rough, when the WOs and URL guys are all new. Show your ass at mission planning or a Fallon event once or twice and quickly it will become “the drone guys are idiots, I don’t bother asking them shit any more.” Hopefully they’ll leaven the mix with some experienced small UAS petty officers. Hell, if they’d allow it (and give me an Active retirement), I’d be happy to take the paygrade cut and go be a CWO4 or something for a few years to stand up the program...