Really??: Ten Thousand Feet and Ten Thousand Miles (A UAV Article)

[BusyBee604]

Gents, I can't be talking about BZB...there was no A/V club when he went to school.

The world was still in black and white and dodgeball hadn't been invented yet. Orville and Wilbur were still studying for their CFII checks.

Everyone knows this.

Sacre' bleu, I guess your right... my last ID card photo!

BzB

 

[Renegade One]

Exactly. I get more of a "slapping the top of the TV, looking for the rabbit ears, and complaining about how 'the clicker' has disappeared again" vibe from BzB...

Going to give you credit for a level of "humor" that isn't intuitive to me. Nothing new there. But I probably missed a few thread posts and therefore don't "get it".

 

[RobLyman]

I had a squadronmate who didn't make HAC in 24 months. Rather than facing FNAEB he resigned his wings (he was not going to pass the HAC board and the CO didn't trust him to take an aircraft and crew on his own).
He stayed in and switched over to UAV's and progressed. Last time I checked he was an O-5 doing UAV work still.

He did not make HAC due to poor aeronatical judgement? After all, I've never heard of someone not making it because they were just a bad stick. How do you trust someone to operate a UAV and drop weapons on target that you would not trust to operate a helicopter with crew? It seems there is a lower level of expectation for a UAV pilot vs "real" pilot, at least in this circumstance.

 

[robav8r]

Higher than a Bronze Star . . . . .
http://www.boston.com/business/news...-drone-wars/D265C91RrHasLVzjFNdz6J/story.html

 

[Flash]

Higher than a Bronze Star . . . . .
http://www.boston.com/business/news...-drone-wars/D265C91RrHasLVzjFNdz6J/story.html

At least they didn't tarnish value of one of the established 'combat' medals. Here is the official announcement complete with depictions of the new medal.

Now at least we will be able to tell who the real cyberwarriors and joystick heroes are in our midst, no longer will they have to be anonymous with only their cyberwarfare/space ranger/UAV wings or dominator pins to distinguish them!

 

[scoober78]

Higher than a Bronze Star . . . . .
http://www.boston.com/business/news...-drone-wars/D265C91RrHasLVzjFNdz6J/story.html

Now if I can just find my 8th place ribbon from the Boy Scout track meet, I can wear that on my Blues. <<palmface>>

 

[revan1013]

The new medal will outrank the Bronze Star, and place just below the Distinguished Flying Cross. I have no problem with the intent of the award, but its order of precedence.

Where's my Picard facepalm?

http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2...for-drone-pilots-outranks-bronze-star-021313/

What does everyone else think about this?

 

[lowflier03]

What a crock.... Of course when the Air Force gives out Bronze stars to O-4's just for breathing, how can we be surprised when they make an award you have to "earn" rank above it. (Not that I actually believe this will really be earned, or should rank higher than the pistol marksmanship ribbon.)

 

[jollygreen07]

Rank higher than the pistol marksmanship ribbon.

Hey, don't put those quals down... They are apparently enough to get you characterized as a highly trained killing machine by the mainstream media. I must have slept through that part of the brief when I got mine.

 

[KCRSXTypeS]

 

[ShadeofRed]

What does everyone else think about this?

Does it have to be an actual medal or can't we just email them one like an e-card?

I laughed pretty hard when I read this.

 

[BusyBee604]

What does everyone else think about this?

It was inevitable that some award/s for UAV Jocks were coming. I'm just happy that they didn't authorize (and degrade) AMs, DFCs & above, nor authorize combat "V"s. They didn't do holders of the Bronze Star any favors, although that's been doled out pretty liberally of late.

Thankful that there is no Air or Flying ln the title of this new award (DWM).
BzB

 

[ShadeofRed]

the person pressing the fire button ... launching a tomahawk..

This is a little exagerative. I was that guy pushing a button to launch a tomahawk, and it is not as dynamic as I (assume) being a UAV pilot is. The process of launching a tomahawk is as simple as mutliple parties following a procedure. I would imagine UAV piloting is closer to the involvment side of the specturm than you make it out to be.

*definitely not comparing it to the level required of a pilot or any other forward deployed asset, just so we're clear.

**it still seems silly to push for more prestigious medals though. Just collect your NAMs and PUCs (or equivlant) and go about your day like the other %90 of the military.

 

[BusyBee604]

...Just collect your NAMs and PUCs (or equivlant) and go about your day like the other %90 of the military.

Pretty much agree... BUT, you are pretty dismissive of the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). It is the highest Unit Award, very prestigious, and actually quite rare.
BzB

 

[ShadeofRed]

Pretty much agree... BUT, you are pretty dismissive of the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). It is the highest Unit Award, very prestigious, and actually quite rare.
BzB

Perhaps more rare in the surface Navy than subs? I regularly heard of them being awarded to firing units. (post 9-11 timeframe)


Of course I have been wrong before on more than one occasion. I'm probably confusing them with Battle Es.