DoD Award To Recognize Drone Operators (securityweek.com)

wiredmikey writes: According to a Pentagon memo due out today, the US military will create a new way to recognize drone operators and other service members who contribute to America's fighting efforts from afar. The military is set to introduce a new "R" designation — known as a "device" — that can be attached to medals given to drone operators and other non-combat troops, such as cyber warriors who hack enemy networks. Former defense secretary Chuck Hagel nixed a proposed new combat medal for US troops who launch drone strikes or cyber attacks, after a torrent of criticism from veterans and lawmakers. Drone pilots have complained of low morale, long hours and of the psychological impacts stemming from killing people remotely.

Comments

Recognize them???

[mark-t]

For what?

Aren't military medals supposed to be for noble things like bravery, heroism, or honour? What's honourable about taking out an opponent from so far away that the risk to yourself is nonexistent?

Re:Recognize them???

[mark-t]

Snipers do, to an extent, put themselves in a line of fire... certainly they are close enough to be facing some personal risk, even if they are hidden. There is always a chance of discovery. Controlling a robot form afar to let it fight for you is not taking any kind of risk at all.

Re:Recognize them???

[ShanghaiBill]

Aren't military medals supposed to be for noble things like bravery, heroism, or honour?

I served in the military, and was awarded several medals. None of them were for bravery, heroism, or honour. Most of them were for being in the right place at the right time, such as the SASM and the NDSM. I also got a NAM, or "atta boy medal" for doing my job during a peacetime deployment.

I don't see any reason drone operators shouldn't get a medal of their own. They are doing more to earn it than I did.

Re:Recognize them???

[tlhIngan]

I haven't suggested that I don't support military action where it's appropriate, I just don't think that doing what essentially amounts to hiding in a control room potentially many miles away from a target and letting what is basically a robot fight for you is doing anything that is particularly worthy of a medal.

Medals are for recognition - sure you might be hiding in a control room, but there are circumstances where what you did deserves recognition.

Drones are often deployed in support roles - providing an eyes in the sky view for the ground team, for example. While out on patrol, the ground team gets pinned because of an unknown shooter. So while their lives are in danger, the drone operator flies around and then sports the shooter and relays their coordinates to the ground team so they know where to look and try to take it out.

At the end of the mission, those guys on the ground are thankful for the drone operator to provide support - it could've ended very badly. Perhaps the guy in the air conditioned control room stateside should get a little recognition for that? Because I'm sure that team doesn't care about the drone operator's working conditions, but they're damn appreciative he was there.

Re:Recognize them???

[sociocapitalist]

For what?

Aren't military medals supposed to be for noble things like bravery, heroism, or honour? What's honourable about taking out an opponent from so far away that the risk to yourself is nonexistent?

Which is exactly why their morale is so low - which in turn is what military medals are for...to raise the morale of someone doing a shit job well so that they keep doing it well.

Re:Recognize them???

[Anonymous Coward]

Agreed.

Bronze Chicken would be appropriate for either longish or brave service and in case injured (like tennis elbow using joystick) Purple Chicken would be nice too :)

"psychological impacts"

[firewrought]

the psychological impacts stemming from killing people remotely

Also called conscience, but no worries... a little piece of decorative metal will make it so worth it!

No.

[PinkyGigglebrain]

Just fucking NO!

Many in my family have received medals, Gold, Bronze, Silver Stars to name those I remember clearly, there where others, over the courses of their military careers. In each case it was because they put there lives on the line for their country. On more than one occasion my father almost didn't come back from his combat postings. When I was a child he showed me each medal and told me the story of why it was given to him, and the names of the people who didn't come back from those missions. Giving a combat medal to someone who hasn't actually faced the real possibility of death in combat just feels like the DoD is spitting in the face of every service person who ever put they're lives on the line for their country.

How the fuck does a joystick jocky sitting in a cozy air conditioned room and going home to a safe warm bed in the USA qualify for a combat medal??

How about they start issuing medals to gamers who play Call of Duty while there at it? It as about the same risk level.

I acknowledge that the drone pilots do face certain job related stress factors but if they want to just say "I can't take it" and walk away in the middle of a mission they can do it if the want to. You don't get that option in a real battle field.

If the DoD wants to give the drone pilots and other non combat personnel recognition then print out some nice looking frame-able certificate, give them some time off and call it done, but do not call it a "combat medal"

Re:No.

[thegarbz]

Just because you have a history of some people in your family getting medals for doing some real combat doesn't change the fact that medals are given out for a wide variety of reasons, not all of them to do with combat, and in some cases given out without even being at war, or for just being deployed in the correct country not necessarily doing any combat.

Re:The Yellowbelly Medal

[Opportunist]

Like, say, Generals?