Drone pilots to get medals?

I think the goal was to create an "Aviation Orientated" medal, and no, I don't think an AAM suffices as we give AAM's out for decorating the CG's Office (I personally witnessed that one).

Again, I don't think it's that big a deal, and doubt they will get awarded often.

I don't really like the idea, but I guess it kind of makes sense. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around these people being in aviation or called pilots. It makes sense, and I usually think about Raven "pilots", and not the big bird pilots. Maybe that's where my big hang up is.

Hell, Raven/UAV pilots already get a hooah badge, or at least they were pushing that when I went through the course... I can put that right next to my driver's badge... LOL
 
I don't really like the idea, but I guess it kind of makes sense. I just have a hard time wrapping my head around these people being in aviation or called pilots. It makes sense, and I usually think about Raven "pilots", and not the big bird pilots. Maybe that's where my big hang up is.

Hell, Raven/UAV pilots already get a hooah badge, or at least they were pushing that when I went through the course... I can put that right next to my driver's badge... LOL
Really (in my book) no different then a KC-10 taking off from Qatar(?) flying at 35,000 feet and returning, they get an Air Medal, 35,000 Ftt; 10,000 miles, really no different.
 
Except the drone pilots are kicking back in a building with their half frap soy latte with a lemon twist and no chance of dying if their bird crashes.

And people wonder why I was looking at doing a contract gig flying UAVs. LOL!
 
A "guy I know" is being put up for a BSM for a mission he did along with others. It's ridiculous. I think some of the awards system is a joke (I'm not talking about combat earned stuff).
 
The Air Force awarded 246 Bronze Stars for the Yugoslavian campaign, with 131 going to people within the combat zone and 115 going to those outside.

http://articles.dailypress.com/2000-06-13/news/0006130011_1_bronze-stars-medals-combat-zone

I never knew there were that many. I do remember the commander of the MARG received a BSM for ... hell, floating around in the Adriatic? Dunno, but I thought a battle medal to a Navy female who never set foot in Kosovo was bullshit.
 
If they want to create new medals. Create a new valor or meritorious service medal system that separates the awards. I understand the V device but I always hated seeing the same medal handed to someone for valor and then giving that same medal back home to someone who did there job well. Putting that V on the ribbon just doesn't do the award justification IMHO.
 
[Jenko starts to crack up, Schmidt points to a medal]
Schmidt: I mean this is a fourth grade participation medal for soccer. It's literally a medal for sucking!
Annie Schmidt: Now! Now!
David Schmidt: That is a medal for trying.
Annie Schmidt: Yes.
[turning to Jenko]
David Schmidt: Let me tell you something, this guy was always a great trier.
 
I really am not one to talk here because I was "awarded" 5 Air Medals for sitting on my ass on a plane. We got one AM for every 20 missions (lasting up to 12 hrs each) over "hostile territory". However, I think the idea below is silly. Where does it end? Will the tanker pilots get DFCs now?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...to-get-medals/2012/07/09/gJQAF2PhYW_blog.html

The Pentagon is considering awarding a Distinguished Warfare Medal to drone pilots who work on military bases often far removed from the battlefield.

The proposed medal would rank between the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Soldier’s Medal for exceptional conduct outside a combat zone.

The DFC and SM are for valor and heroism, respectively. There is no way a drone "pilot's" mission measures up anywhere near that. Drone operators can take their ARCOM or MSM equivalent and head on back home... you know, like they do every night after they "fly" their missions. No BSMs, no "war" medals, and definitely no "special" medals just for them. Next the cyber guys are going to be asking for something "special" too, because you know they are in the fight too. :rolleyes:

I think we have too many award as it is. Example: a medal for not getting an Article-15 or a court-martial for three years? (Good Conduct Medal) Seriously, in an all-volunteer Army? Isn't that why you get a paycheck and the right to wear that uniform in the first place? Dump the GCM and give troops a numeral device to wear on their respective service ribbon for every year of honorable service.

DFC and Air Medals... outlived their usefulness. We already have numerous valor awards, if a pilot does something heroic, put him in for a BSM(V), Silver Star, etc. Air Medal... see the preceding sentence in cases where it involves valor, otherwise, why do you get a medal for either doing your job or taking a taxi to work? Why not hand out special awards for people who go on convoys? I think statistically, that is WAY more dangerous than flying.

Maybe something we could look at is trimming down the number of medals, but creating a "C" (for combat) device to denote lower-level awards (MSM, ARCOM, AAM, and their joint/other service equivalents) to show which awards were given for service (i.e. physical presence) in a designated combat zone.

Once we get this uniform ridiculousness settled, the DoD should take a long hard look at its medals policy.
 
F-117 goes down in Serbia...buddy does what we intel types do, gets a AM with V (of course, there is more to the story). Right place at right time I suppose.
 
I have no problem with them receiving: Ariel Achievement Medal...think it would fit the bill.

The Aerial Achievement Medal is a decoration of the United States Air Force which was first created in 1988. The decoration is intended to recognize the contributions of aircrew members who would, otherwise, not be qualified for the award of the Air Medal.
The decoration is awarded in the name of the Secretary of the Air Force and is presented to members of the United States military or civilian personnel, while serving in a capacity with the U.S. Air Force, who distinguish themselves by sustained meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. The achievements must be accomplished with distinction above and beyond that normally expected of professional airmen.[1]
Operators of Unmanned aerial vehicles may receive the award. One was given in 1997 for successfully flying a disabled UAV back to its base.[2] According to a report based on Air Force statistics, from January 2009 to mid-2010 3497 medals were granted to operators, while 1408 more were given to pilots
 
The DFC and SM are for valor and heroism, respectively. There is no way a drone "pilot's" mission measures up anywhere near that. Drone operators can take their ARCOM or MSM equivalent and head on back home... you know, like they do every night after they "fly" their missions. No BSMs, no "war" medals, and definitely no "special" medals just for them. Next the cyber guys are going to be asking for something "special" too, because you know they are in the fight too. :rolleyes:

I think we have too many award as it is. Example: a medal for not getting an Article-15 or a court-martial for three years? (Good Conduct Medal) Seriously, in an all-volunteer Army? Isn't that why you get a paycheck and the right to wear that uniform in the first place? Dump the GCM and give troops a numeral device to wear on their respective service ribbon for every year of honorable service.

DFC and Air Medals... outlived their usefulness. We already have numerous valor awards, if a pilot does something heroic, put him in for a BSM(V), Silver Star, etc. Air Medal... see the preceding sentence in cases where it involves valor, otherwise, why do you get a medal for either doing your job or taking a taxi to work? Why not hand out special awards for people who go on convoys? I think statistically, that shit is WAY more dangerous than flying.

Maybe something we could look at is trimming down the number of medals, but creating a "C" (for combat) device to denote lower-level awards (MSM, ARCOM, AAM, and their joint/other service equivalents) to show which awards were given for service (i.e. physical presence) in a designated combat zone.

Once we get this uniform ridiculousness settled, the DoD should take a long hard look at its medals policy.
BSM is a ground award, and (By law) can no longer be awarded to someone outside the AOR.
 
Campaign Medal perhaps? Agree here with Scotth. We've had new ones here for the various ops over the past few years that obviously didn't exist before. Some kind of recognition IMO is fine.
 
Drone pilots should get commendation medals for their service. Not Air Medals and not Valour awards/V-device. That would be a spit in the face to pilots everywhere.
 
When I was in HOA, there were technically two parent commands you could be assigned to. There was JTF-HOA and then there was Camp Lemonier. Everyone got medals at the end of a deployment there. If your orders said, "Camp Lemonier" you received a Navy Achievement Medal or whatever your service equivalent was. If your orders said "JTF-HOA" you were given a Joint Commendation Medal.
wtf.. JCOM is a big award for just "showing up"
 
who cares about medals these days anyway. The ASU sucks complete ass and you won't look good no matter what awards or badges you have.
 
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