Should drone operators be required to have actual ground and/or air time?

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 20:14:17 -0400

In an Army Times post in Facebook, it was suggested that operating a drone was as stressful as being in a foxhole. I can understand the claim of stress, but to equate it to actual combat is a stretch. But, assuming the validity of the claim, wouldn't it be tactically and emotionally, beneficial for drone operators to have first-hand experience of ground and/or air operations?

Response by PFC Eric Minchey made Oct 1 at 2014 4:05 PM

PFC Eric Minchey — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 16:05:00 -0400

http://anonhq.com/anonsec-hacked-drone/

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 6 at 2014 8:33 PM

SPC David S. — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:33:00 -0400

If it came to calling in a fast mover for some air support I could case less who or where it was coming from as long as it got to me ASAP. As for the stress I think its more about making such they are only killing bandits and not friendlies. I could care less if they tagged along as long as they would be an asset and not get in the way. I concur with LTC Paul Labrador on the FAC, Scout, ANGILCO, experience as I fill it is important to understand ground forces tactics.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2014 11:35 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 23:35:08 -0400

First the stress IMO can not be compared to a foxhole. Its more of the type of stress that maybe an air traffic controller would have in a busy airspace like a major city air port.

For me the stresses early on were learning to fly a system that ergonomically in way represented an aircraft cockpit. Instead of gauges and dials we had our data in a list format reading a 12 point font on a grey background. Having point click menus that were not always in a logical fashion to actuate equipment versus our traditional cockpit switches. Then of course there was a huge learning curve for those of us who flew combat support planes like the KC-135 Air Refueling Tanker that I flew.

I think maybe having a course in ground operations might not be a bad idea like actually have crews go out to a Green Flag at Irwin or Polk and be side by side with a JTAC/FAC. Because these are the people we generally work with. Being a noob to tactical air employment was kind of stressful at first. I remember being chewed out once because we did not know some brevity terms used by a specific group. I got called on the phone and reamed because they wanted us to do something specific and know one on the crew had a clue what they wanted. Not even our ops sup knew.

95% percent of the time the job was fairly mundane. there were those oh shit moments were you had to go from doing absolutely nothing that was keeping your brain engaged to all of the sudden get SA fast and be able render support within minutes of situation that went dynamic. Sometimes those were stressful because that meant that if I screwed up someone was coming off the cargo ramp of a C-5/17 in flag draped metal box at Dover.

I never developed any weird PTSD or anything like that. I can't speak for the entire community but I never ran across having those issues in the 4 years I did it. Usually the issues were the standard ones developed by high ops tempo environment. The most stress I had was deployed at the launch and recovery. It was not the IDF's that was stressful it was a really bad boss, which is not immune to the RPA community.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Oct 7 at 2014 9:11 AM

MSG Brad Sand — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 09:11:33 -0400

Not unless a long line of other MOSs get the same type of experience...and that will never happen.

I think the first group of people to be required to get first hand experience of ground and (not or) air operations is every Federally elected official BEFORE assuming office.

Response by SGT Marvin "Dave" Bigham made Oct 7 at 2014 10:56 AM

SGT Marvin "Dave" Bigham — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 10:56:34 -0400

Considering the cost and complexity of these units, I'd say yes. Although many teens (and preteens) nowadays could likely run these drones as they were designed, nothing beats experience when the operation goes off the plan and into the "here-and-now".