Predator Pilot Crashes!

[mikeno]

2870

[Rod Schneider]

Now, that's funny!!!

[Joe LaMantia]

OK, I get the Purple Heart thing, but the DFC is a stretch! On second thought, maybe he kept his coffee from spilling all over the keyboard, that would display a higher level of skill.

Joe
:P

[Bob Dingley]

OK, I get the Purple Heart thing, but the DFC is a stretch! On second thought, maybe he kept his coffee from spilling all over the keyboard, that would display a higher level of skill.

Joe
:P

You are on target Joe.
As most know, the Department of Defense has decided to recognize UAV pilots and cyber hackers who's extrodinary exploits may be recognized with a new medal. The Distinguished Warfare Medal. All the Veterans groups are steamed because the award rates AHEAD of both the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart. Neither of these including the Air Medal or DFC are authorized to be awarded to these service members. The Military Order of the Purple Heart reports in the order's Mar/Apr magazine that MOPH has greeted the new Sec Def with a request to drop the medal's order of precedence.

Proposed order of Precedence (Partial): Air Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Distinguished Warfare Medal, Soldiers Medal, DFC.

UAV pilots have already petioned for Combat pay and the Combat Zone tax break if they are wearing nomex at a stateside base while their UAV flys in a combat zone.

Bob
Life member: some vet orgs

[Joe LaMantia]

Thanks for the update Bob.

It's sad to think that DOD would cheapen the medal awards of so many people risking their lives and futures to promote "robots". While I can see a need to recognize the efforts of the team of people using UAV's to gather intel, and complete combat strikes. I have a hard time comparing that effort with somebody getting shot at and living in some far off foreign land. I saw a piece on "60 minutes" awhile back and it was centered on Stead AFB and the UAV pilots who commute from their homes to the base for a 8 hour shift flying UAV's. This job consists of sitting in an office at a computer screen with a joy stick. Now they do have flight briefing and mission planning activities but their only daily risk is driving back and forth from home to office. The "Distinguished Warfare Medal" sounds like some kind of politically correct award for showing up and doing your job. Which everyone in and out of military does every day.

Joe

[Mayhemxpc]

Secretary Hagel put a freeze on the manufacture and award of this medal, ordering a complete review.

[rwanttaja]

It's sad to think that DOD would cheapen the medal awards of so many people risking their lives and futures to promote "robots". While I can see a need to recognize the efforts of the team of people using UAV's to gather intel, and complete combat strikes. I have a hard time comparing that effort with somebody getting shot at and living in some far off foreign land. I saw a piece on "60 minutes" awhile back and it was centered on Stead AFB and the UAV pilots who commute from their homes to the base for a 8 hour shift flying UAV's. This job consists of sitting in an office at a computer screen with a joy stick. Now they do have flight briefing and mission planning activities but their only daily risk is driving back and forth from home to office. The "Distinguished Warfare Medal" sounds like some kind of politically correct award for showing up and doing your job. Which everyone in and out of military does every day.

I think the issue is less about "drone pilots think they deserve medals" and more about how being a UAV operator is damaging to one's career. The Air Force has an "Up or Out" policy for officers; you either get promoted when the time comes, or you are released from the service (you usually get three chances before they release you). One of the factors involved in promotion is the decorations the person has earned. This obviously works against the drone operators...and that makes the UAV field a dead end for one's career. Any ambitious officer then avoids UAV operations like the plague...and you really *want* good people in those jobs.

I saw that back when I was a blue-suit butter bar. One of the Captains was up the third time for promotion to major...passed over twice before, and if he missed again, he was back out in the street without retirement benefits. He was an expert in Space Operations, but was up against officers who had earned Air Medals and other awards in Vietnam. And in the late '70s, the "airplane" Air Force was being severely cut back, but had a crying need for space engineers (they were actually offering us financial incentives). The Air Force *needed* my Captain friend, more than they needed a ton of ex F-4 pilots and WSOs, but the promotion process was stacked against him.

Note that this also holds for senior officers. If you have an airplane squadron commander and a UAV squadron commander, one factor in the decision is how many awards your subordinates have received. If *command* of UAV units is also a dead-end career choice, you get the dregs for commanders.

That said, the problem with the UAV career field needs to be addressed in ways other than a bogus medal that outranks the Bronze Star for valor and the Purple Heart. They need to incorporate some other ways to encourage participation in the career field.

My friend did get his Majority, by the way....

Ron Wanttaja

[Joe LaMantia]

Ron,

Thanks for your insight, which really changes the focus of the conversation. It would seem that the military needs to re-examine it's manpower needs both present and future and create a career plan set that promotes based on skills not this "ticket punching" nonsense. It has been clear for quite awhile that we have a very top-heavy organization structure and getting that flattened out would be a good starting point. If we think about the future of warfare over the next 50 years, we're going to see more technology taking replacing manpower regarding conventional war. The remaining problem is dealing with the low grade kind of stuff where boots on the ground are still the main requirement.

Joe
:cool:

[Mayhemxpc]

I won't say Ron's comments aren't true. They just don't reflect reality with regard to Air Force (or any other service) officer career management.

It is really two strikes and out. A very small number of officers get selected "below the zone" (early promotion.) That opportunity for promotion does not count against you if you are not selected, so it is not a "strike."

Medals are not counted in an officer selection board. The only way medals can hurt you is if you are caught wearing one you are not authorized. (It happens.) Enlisted promotions and retention actions DO look at medals. Not officers. (Caution: It may be different in the National Guard.) In the USAF, only officers fly UAVs.

I have NEVER heard of any command evaluation factor of medals earned by subordinates. Nor has anyone else I have served with and been able to ask in the last 48 hours. (I am sure someone will correct me if there is some case I am unaware of.) Even if there was some sort of tally -- for either the individual or their commanders -- there are other awards available. These include, but are not limited to, the Meritorious Service Medal and the (Army/Air Force/Navy) Commendation Medal.

Contrary to popular belief (although not mentioned earlier) Bronze Stars are not given out like candy, or just to anyone. On three separate occasions I had to go to extraordinary lengths to get Bronze Stars approved for subordinates who repeatedly exposed themselves to (and returned) direct fire to get the mission accomplished. In one of these cases the individual was the only person armed and returning fire to protect civilian advisors until the quick reaction force arrived. Yet an operator sitting thousands of miles away with no personal risk would merit a combat award, and one that rates higher than a bronze star?

Bravo for Secretary Hagel's action in stopping this award.