Posted on Jun 25, 2015
Do You Buy This? A Unique form of Combat Stress for our Drone Pilots (Remotely Piloted Aircraft)???
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Obviously, despite my efforts not to.... I see the world, and DOD, from a ground Soldiers perspective. And, I suspect there is stress in all sorts of jobs.
I understand pilots (actual and remotely piloted aircraft - drones) have to face different dangers than I did, as well as live the the decisions they make and the damage and collateral damage of their strikes. But, I can't see this as a combat stress. And, I have never walked in those shoes either.
I did considerable research in grad school on shell shock, combat stress, combat related stress disorder, and the PTSD (the current term), and I am not sure I know enough about this new term, but I know when I read the article I actually laughed out loud... As, I just can't see this - feel this.
I know I lived by (shared a duplex) an F-15 pilot in Europe who would fly "Allied Force" Sorties and be back home each night... drinking... I know B2s fly from Whiteman and come back in a day... And, I know whenever I deployed, they were progressively longer... and conditions were not up to the standards my Air Force brothers consider adequate... Again, likely from my very jaded perspective is what probably made laugh out loud.
I also know I have PTSD, and TBI, and that I attended a lot of memorial ceremonies, presented a lot of Purple Hearts, and dealt with more than one incident of collateral damage.
So, help me understand... Because I want to understand this from the USAF perspective.
Claire McCaskill is my senator, and I actually sat in her office several times with my boss, and got scuffed up on issues in the Army and Fort Leonard Wood. She is a huge military advocate, and an unspoken watchdog and critic too.
But, again, I not seeing this one.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2015/06/24/sen-claire-mccaskill-wants-pentagon-to-address-new-form-of-combat-stress/29248023/
I understand pilots (actual and remotely piloted aircraft - drones) have to face different dangers than I did, as well as live the the decisions they make and the damage and collateral damage of their strikes. But, I can't see this as a combat stress. And, I have never walked in those shoes either.
I did considerable research in grad school on shell shock, combat stress, combat related stress disorder, and the PTSD (the current term), and I am not sure I know enough about this new term, but I know when I read the article I actually laughed out loud... As, I just can't see this - feel this.
I know I lived by (shared a duplex) an F-15 pilot in Europe who would fly "Allied Force" Sorties and be back home each night... drinking... I know B2s fly from Whiteman and come back in a day... And, I know whenever I deployed, they were progressively longer... and conditions were not up to the standards my Air Force brothers consider adequate... Again, likely from my very jaded perspective is what probably made laugh out loud.
I also know I have PTSD, and TBI, and that I attended a lot of memorial ceremonies, presented a lot of Purple Hearts, and dealt with more than one incident of collateral damage.
So, help me understand... Because I want to understand this from the USAF perspective.
Claire McCaskill is my senator, and I actually sat in her office several times with my boss, and got scuffed up on issues in the Army and Fort Leonard Wood. She is a huge military advocate, and an unspoken watchdog and critic too.
But, again, I not seeing this one.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2015/06/24/sen-claire-mccaskill-wants-pentagon-to-address-new-form-of-combat-stress/29248023/
PTSD
Combat Stress Control
Stress
Drones
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 45
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I am adamant that we turn our military into adrenaline junkies. I was in a PTSD group of 10 and half of them wanted to go back.
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COL Charles Williams
Yes they do MAJ Ken Landgren, yes they do. That is why we experience so many other issues when Soldiers get home from ground combat. They can't get that same rush, so they find unhealthy (at times deadly) ways to feed that need.
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COL Charles Williams Unfortunately, I can't access the AF Times article, but did read an article in USA Today on the same subject. http://www.usatoday.com/story/military/capitol-hill/2015/06/24/sen-claire-mccaskill-wants-pentagon-to-address-new-form-of-combat-stress/29248023/
My initial reaction is WTF, COMBAT stress? Really? I had the same reaction in the 80's when some idiot working at the Post Office would get pissed off and shoot the place up, and hear it blamed on PTSD because sorting and delivering mail was soooooooo difficult.
Thinking about it though, and taking into account another question posed here on RP regarding drone operator burnout:
https://www.rallypoint.com/branches/air-force/answers/how-america-broke-its-drone-force
I find myself giving some validity to Sen, McCaskill's request, although I'm hesitant to classify it in my mind as combat stress. However, as any PR flack knows, throw in a good buzzword such as "combat" and the newsies will latch onto it and run with it for all it's worth. Wanting a study done on "Workplace Stress" in a military organization just doesn't grab one's attention.
When I think of combat stress for pilots, I picture the Battle of Britain; MIG Alley during Korea; sorties into Hanoi, Haiphong, etc with high concentrations of SAM's, AA and so forth.
I make no claim to have really even studied the subject, I can only use my own limited experience and reading to form an opinion.
So, no, I don't buy into the combat stress issue. Workplace stress or simply general burnout, yes, I can see that happening as a cumulative effect of years of extended shifts with little time off.
My initial reaction is WTF, COMBAT stress? Really? I had the same reaction in the 80's when some idiot working at the Post Office would get pissed off and shoot the place up, and hear it blamed on PTSD because sorting and delivering mail was soooooooo difficult.
Thinking about it though, and taking into account another question posed here on RP regarding drone operator burnout:
https://www.rallypoint.com/branches/air-force/answers/how-america-broke-its-drone-force
I find myself giving some validity to Sen, McCaskill's request, although I'm hesitant to classify it in my mind as combat stress. However, as any PR flack knows, throw in a good buzzword such as "combat" and the newsies will latch onto it and run with it for all it's worth. Wanting a study done on "Workplace Stress" in a military organization just doesn't grab one's attention.
When I think of combat stress for pilots, I picture the Battle of Britain; MIG Alley during Korea; sorties into Hanoi, Haiphong, etc with high concentrations of SAM's, AA and so forth.
I make no claim to have really even studied the subject, I can only use my own limited experience and reading to form an opinion.
So, no, I don't buy into the combat stress issue. Workplace stress or simply general burnout, yes, I can see that happening as a cumulative effect of years of extended shifts with little time off.
Sen. Claire McCaskill wants Pentagon to address new form of combat stress
Sen. Claire McCaskill has asked Air Force leaders to address a "unique form of combat stress" suffered by drone pilots engaged in remote surveillance and killing U.S. enemies.
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COL Charles Williams
SSgt Dale W. Thank you. At the end of the day, this about how each of us deals with stress, combat, and our roles and experiences there. I never want to diminish or trivialize anyones service. My view is my view, and I appreciate all views.
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I guess pulling the trigger is just as much a stressor as getting shot at.
Do F-16 or B2 pilot / weapons officers get PTSD?
Other side of the coin .. these folks visit death on people but never face it themselves.
Do F-16 or B2 pilot / weapons officers get PTSD?
Other side of the coin .. these folks visit death on people but never face it themselves.
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Suspended Profile
The biggest issue is the BDA they are tasked with after the strikes... see my other comment...
Capt Seid Waddell
SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S., I have seen plenty of pilots that got shot at in my time; some didn't make it home and some just barely made it home with considerable battle damage.
That may not be the case today with our absolute control of the skies, but I imagine our CAS missions still have a high pucker factor on occasion.
That may not be the case today with our absolute control of the skies, but I imagine our CAS missions still have a high pucker factor on occasion.
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SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.
I wasn't talking about "real" pilots. I worked with both a Weasel EWO and a Thud driver. Both had taken hits on the inbound and taken fire on multiple occasions.
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