Drone pilots to get medals? - Proposed Distinguished Warfare Medal

[JPL]

Found this interesting article:

The Pentagon is considering awarding a Distinguished Warfare Medal to drone pilots who work on military bases often far removed from the battlefield. Pentagon officials have been briefed on the medal’s “unique concept,” Charles V. Mugno, head of the

Army Institute of Heraldry, told a recent meeting of the Commission of Fine Arts, according to a report in Coin World by our former colleague Bill McAllister.

Mugno said most combat decorations require “boots on the ground” in a combat zone, but he noted that “emerging technologies” such as drones and cyber combat missions are now handled by troops far removed from combat. The Pentagon has not formally endorsed the medal, but Mugno’s institute has completed six alternate designs for commission approval. The notion of greater recognition for drone pilots has been percolating for some time. Air Force Maj. Dave Blair, writing in the May-June issue of the

Air & Space Power Journal, asked how much difference there is in terms of risk “between 10,000 feet and 10,000 miles.” A “manned aircraft . . . that scrapes the top of a combat zone, well outside the range of any realistic threat” is deemed in “combat,” Blair writes, but a Predator firing a missile is considered “combat support.”

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

Ref:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/post/drone-pilots-to-get-medals/2012/07/09/gJQAF2PhYW_blog.html

Jean-Paul

[FireMedals]

First let me preface this with the statement that I am a US Air Force veteran.

Personally, the idea of combat medals for non-combat duty was bound to come about. Just as in the Viet-nam era, when you needed a combat command and a combat decoration to insure geting your ticket punched for promotion, clerks weren't fast enought to keep track of officers rotating through a unit. Of course, the number of Bronze Star and Commendation medals, Air Medals, and in the documented cases of more than a few senior officers who got caught, some other senior medals were given out, often for not even going into the field, growing to a staggering number. As US medal collectors are aware, the Air Medal rate was so high, they started dividing the types of missions you flew and gave numbers for the ribbon bar....there wasn't enought room for all the oak-leaf clusters you would have had to wear. Well, since the drone "pilots" need to show some career development, and a lowly Commendation medal is available for anyone, a new award is definitely needed. And, due to the "everybody's a winner" mentality in American child-rearing today, where everyone deserves an award so they don't grow up and feel under appreciated, it will pass. And of course, considering these very proposals for the medals are being considered by officers who have their own uniforms covered with fruit salad, there is no reason not to share the love.

And don't forget, if you have a Distinguished Warfare Medal, it won't be long before they'll figure out there is a need for an award for those who don't quite meet the requirement for that award, but still deserve recognition....and the Meritorious Warfare Medal will soon follow.

This is why I don't collect anything past 1965.

Just my two-cents....

FireMedals

[922F]

Too true--some still remember when U.S. military pundets mocked Soviet and related, especially North Korean, military services for 'armor-plating their generals' torsos with medals'!

[Chris Boonzaier]

I think all ex military see this very subjectively...

as Ex infantry... I would not award medals to anyone outside of small arms range of the enemy... an artillery guy would push that 20km further, an airforce guy even more and a drone guy right to the other side of the planet.

Is it objective? No... thats why the bar is set by others...

That the drone pilots serve is a given, that they dont have to put their life on the line is understood...

but they are not unique in their ability to kill with impunity... so there are precedents which can be used.

What do navy guys get who fire missiles from hundreds of miles away from the battlefield? if a Drone pilot gets a Game Boy medal... why not the Cruise Missile guy?

Both are serving their country.

[FireMedals]

Yes, everyone in uniform is serving their country, but does that equate to earning a medal? Does doing your job in the military mean you've earned a medal? Overlooking the fact that everyone who comes out of basic training and goes to their first duty assignment now has several ribbons over their pocket, the man or woman servicing the drones to insure they fly their missions are often well within the range of small arms, RPG's or car bombs, and are lucky to get an Achievement Medal. However now the person watching a computer image in an air conditioned war-room in Montana, and has his/her finger on the pickle button, deserves a medal for their service. That doesn't compute with me.

Yes, the danger zone expands from the grunt to the B-52 crew, but the aircrew is over enemy territory. Even if they are dropping ordinance from several miles up, if they had to punch out, they are not going to have a nice day. If the Senior Drone Pilot has a bad day it means he has to wait for a table at the O Club.

No, I'm sorry, all service is not equal, everyone doesn't deserve a medal. Remember you don't "win" a medal, you earn it.

FireMedals

[Doc]

This is a ridiculous concept! There are already lots of medals suitable for recognition of these personnel (and yes, I think they are doing an outstanding job which should be recognized). Within the US Army (I only have Army regulations at hand, but I assume the AF regulations will be very similar-- in fact, knowing the Air Force, I suspect they have even more which could be used), medals which are not specifically restricted to "non-combat" activities which could be used are: Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal. I think we need to get away from the concept of developing specific medals which are only available to personnel in certain jobs or positions. If we need specific awards which can only be earned by Drone Pilots, how about some for the Medical Personnel at Landstuhl who save lives of the wounded every day (Maybe the "Combat Support Distinguished Medical Medal", or something similar)? How about the "Distinguished Logistics Support Medal"?

There is no doubt that the drone pilots are doing a fantastic job, and some of them need to be recognized, but I can't see any justification for creating a new group of medals just for them. I just don't see the point of creating new medals for people who participate in combat from far away. Doc

[Chris Boonzaier]

Am I missing something here ... this medal... it is not only for Drone service is it?

From the name I am guessing it is for all personel directly involved in combat from a distance?

I would agree that a medal exclusively for "Game-boy Ops" would be a bit much.

[Doc]

What other group of people fit that description ("all personel directly involved in combat from a distance")? This is being pushed by the Air Force, and has been stated openly to be intended to be presented to the Drone Pilots. Maybe it will apply to others (cyber combat experts or satellite controllers, maybe) , but at the present I can't think who else might be eligible, since the criteria have not yet been officially published.

In any case, I think the whole issue should be moot, since there are existing awards very suitable for these people, carrying out this type of mission. This proposed medal simply fills a perceived need which is not very acute, in my opinion. We just need to make better use of the existing awards structure, not expand it.

It also seems to be proposed at too high a level-- something the equivalent level of the Bronze Star might be justifiable, but "between the DFC and the Soldier's medal" is ridiculous. Doc

Edited July 11, 2012 by Doc

[Hugh]

I'll be brief- Please add my name to the list of old farts who think this is the dumbest idea I've heard in decades.

Hugh

[W McSwiggan]

Please put my name next to Hugh's.

On the other hand - if this flies (think there is a pun in there somewhere) - then I propose Purple Hearts for Carpal Tunnel, Lower Back Pain & Hemorrhoids...

Edited July 11, 2012 by W McSwiggan

[Hugh]

Please put my name next to Hugh's.

On the other hand - if this flies (think there is a pun in there somewhere) - then I propose Purple Hearts for Carpal Tunnel, Lower Back Pain & Hemorrhoids...

Why not? But when your lance corporals start to look like South American generals, you're in trouble. We're almost there. The Brits and Aussies have been making fun of us for years.

Hugh

H

Edited July 12, 2012 by Hugh

[W McSwiggan]

Please put my name next to Hugh's.

On the other hand - if this flies (think there is a pun in there somewhere) - then I propose Purple Hearts for Carpal Tunnel, Lower Back Pain & Hemorrhoids...

Actually - sarcasm aside (note - I'm Army so have no great expertise on Air Force but - I suspect the comparisons will hold) - this is crazy. Brownie points for promotion is irrevelant at least for officers. If you choose Infantry - Armor or Field Artillery in the Army - career potential is limitless. If you choose Finance or Chemical - Colonel is probably the max. Within these fields - apples are compared to apples - combat arms officers are largely competing with each other as are combat service support. I suspect the same holds true for the boys in sky blue. Top dogs will be the top guns - drone manipulators will be competing against each other and will likely see a lower ceiling (pun again) than the aircraft drivers. To my mind - this fact removes the need for more medals - if the high flying dronies (oxymoron) see non-combat awards only then the DSM & Legion of Merit are the calling cards for advancement - not "I'm special" awards. The US Armed Forces have already proliferated ODM to a ridiculous level - it's time to stop or these things will only generate more cynicism than they already have (lots).