Drone Pilots: We Don’t Get No Respect

[17D_guy]

[Danger41]

It's both, you smart motherfuckers.

[2xAGM114]

I think if they put active duty MCE squadrons at DM, Herbie, and San Antonio the retention problem would fix itself even with the shift work grind.

Plenty of comments like this heard at Creech when I left in '09. Nothing has changed, and no one is willing to fork out the money to move MCE anywhere. When Admiral Mullen came to visit and the question was asked, we were told it was an OPSEC issue.

Right...

Edited September 16, 2014 by 2xAGM114

[2xAGM114]

Do people really hate living in Vegas that much?

Vegas wasn't the issue.

The issue for most then was being told "3 years and you're back to your MDS/MWS", then "3 years plus the FTU time", then "we really have no idea when you can leave due to the SURGE Ver 4", then "we're going to let TAMI and UPT Direct guys leave first because they've never really flown", to finally "You can't ever leave unless it's to another RPA base. We're really sorry. Here's an aerial achievement medal. And PCS orders to Holloman."

Edited September 16, 2014 by 2xAGM114

[McDonut]

"You can't ever leave unless it's to another RPA base. We're really sorry. Here's an aerial achievement medal. And PCS orders to Holloman."

That is ing awful if that's true. This kind of crap is why AFA cadets are starting to look away from pilot slots. That and they hung a damn pred from Mitch's ceiling.

[guineapigfury]

That is fucking awful if that's true. This kind of crap is why AFA cadets are starting to look away from pilot slots. That and they hung a damn pred from Mitch's ceiling.

I know some of our new Lt's (from all commissioning sources) chose this because the ADSC is 6 years and not 10. The jury is out on the 18X experiment until the first batch hits the end of their ADSCs.

[dvlax40]

Vegas wasn't the issue.

The issue for most then was being told "3 years and you're back to your MDS/MWS", then "3 years plus the FTU time", then "we really have no idea when you can leave due to the SURGE Ver 4", then "we're going to let TAMI and UPT Direct guys leave first because they've never really flown", to finally "You can't ever leave unless it's to another RPA base. We're really sorry. Here's an aerial achievement medal. And PCS orders to Holloman."

with the shortage in IPs right now i have no idea why they would do that and not utilized a guy who knows how to fly?

[nrodgsxr]

with the shortage in IPs right now i have no idea why they would do that and not utilized a guy who knows how to fly?

shortage of IPs where?

[chim richalds]

shortage of IPs where?

Delta, and American, get your apps in

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SurelySerious]

shortage of IPs where?

Must be one at HO since we're dropping orders for non-IP 1Lts to PCS to HO as FTU IPs at exactly 2 years on station from CH.

[dvlax40]

i had heard 38 instructors were short a couple years ago. may have changed

[Fuzz]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/28/emotional-toll-taxes-military-drone-operators-too/?page=1

"Emotional toll taxes military drone operators too"

“It can be as impactful for these guys as someone in a foxhole,” said Air Force spokesman Tom Kimball.

I get there are a lot of psycological impacts from this but I don't see connection between that and a guy in a fox hole who could be killed at any minute.

[Happy29]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/sep/28/emotional-toll-taxes-military-drone-operators-too/?page=1

"Emotional toll taxes military drone operators too"

“It can be as impactful for these guys as someone in a foxhole,” said Air Force spokesman Tom Kimball.

I get there are a lot of psycological impacts from this but I don't see connection between that and a guy in a fox hole who could be killed at any minute.

It always pissed me off reading this crap. I spent three and a half years doing this mission. Never met anyone that had issues. Just makes us look like a bunch of senstive pussies. Unless your ass is getting shot at, STFU. And if you can't handle drones, GTFO.

[Karl Hungus]

And if you can't handle drones, GTFO.

That's exactly what everyone is doing.

[Happy29]

That's exactly what everyone is doing.

LOL. Welllll, I was talking about the people who can't handle drones because of the emotional impact of the mission.

As far as people who hated the drone mission getting out, good for them. It was a rotten deal for a bunch of folks, glad to see a lot of them flying manned a/c now.

[2xAGM114]

It always pissed me off reading this crap. I spent three and a half years doing this mission. Never met anyone that had issues. Just makes us look like a bunch of senstive pussies. Unless your ass is getting shot at, STFU. And if you can't handle drones, GTFO.

Same.

The "Psycological Wounds" are more likely due to not getting a Viper on assignment night or not getting a DP at their previous base.

Yep, shift work sucks.

Clovis sucks.

Got it.

Press.

[Rmarsh]

Same.

The "Psycological Wounds" are more likely due to not getting a Viper on assignment night or not getting a DP at their previous base.

Yep, shift work sucks.

Clovis sucks.

Got it.

Press.

^ This.

This thread is the dumping ground for gripes against RPA assignments and I get that, it's valid. Every community has it's things, the viper guys bitched when they were in Clovis and breathed a sigh of relief when the BRAC gave it to AFSOC. Guys at Creech live In North Vegas and don't like the commute, guys from the Midwest don't like Hickam because they get island fever, guys that got

C-17's don't like Charleston because they wanted an Eagle....

Either the juice is worth the squeeze, or it isn't.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Rmarsh

[summe32c]

Any scenario across the board, give it time, someone will bitch and complain.

[McDonut]

The "Psycological Wounds" are more likely due to not getting a Viper on assignment night

As it turns out, crushing someone's dreams in front of their friends and family and half the base tends to leave a mark. Who knew.

[Azimuth]

As it turns out, crushing someone's dreams in front of their friends and family and half the base tends to leave a mark. Who knew.

Life's tough, wear a helmet.

[Rmarsh]

Bitching about flying your fighter or heavy in a shit location is nothing like getting stuck in a shipping container on shift work in a shit location. I've seen both up close and the hate/discontent is not comparable.

So have I, I'm not just saying "suck it up", with no perspective on the subject.

[Hacker]

As it turns out, crushing someone's dreams in front of their friends and family and half the base tends to leave a mark. Who knew.

YGBFSM. Put on your man-pants; this is the military.

[10percenttruth]

YGBFSM. Put on your man-pants; this is the military.

No, you're right. The hands-down best way to man an absolutely vital community is to start everyone in it off by having a room full of people cringe at the "shitty assignment" they just got.

I'm not saying everyone should get a trophy, far from it. It's pilot training, there can be only one number one. Got it. But hell, filling a MWS full of folks who don't want to be there & were just handed a public slice of failure pie seems like a bad way to motivate young dudes.

[McDonut]

YGBFSM. Put on your man-pants; this is the military.

Since lining up by class rank and getting issued your MWS wasn't military enough?

Life's tough, wear a helmet.

A helmet? In a shipping container? In all seriousness, you're right. Your MWS is what you make of it (for the most part).

But hell, filling a MWS full of folks who don't want to be there & were just handed a public slice of failure pie seems like a bad way to motivate young dudes.

Back to the topic,

It's difficult to prove your legitimacy as an MWS if your people have little buy in, and it starts a vicious cycle that makes it a "shitty assignment".

It's also ######ed up when you get communities off-loading their problem children on the "must-fills".

The RQ-170 program is gaining their dudes through an interview process, and it's not a bad way to go. But then again it's a completely different beast. If I were facing a robot, I would definitely try to work my way in that direction.

Edited October 4, 2014 by McDonut

[Rmarsh]

Good grief, this is all what I'm railing on about, the Air Force never owed anyone a trophy or an F-16 or an assignment to Germany... Oh no, a guy dropped reapers in front of a room full of his friends... Pretty sure by that point in UPT you've overcome the fear of public humiliation. What about the guy that got services out of commissioning? Give a shit about him? I certainly don't, and neither do you...And I've seen both sides of the fence and there's the ones who bitch and those who couldn't be happier, it's all perspective. There are plenty of guys who can't wait to get into that shipping container and pickle off a couple AGM-114's, I mean, that may be the best part about Clovis...