A congressionally-requested Government Accounting Office report on the US Air Force drone community was recently publicized:

Senate leaders in Sept. 2012 asked the GAO to study the Air Force’s approach to managing the remotely piloted aircraft crews, which has tripled since 2008…

The intent was to analyze how the drone community is being managed and treated, in the face of rumors of low morale, low promotion rates, and underappreciated warfighters.  The GAO created and interviewed focus groups, concluding: 

all said pilots have low morale, face challenging working conditions and are limited in pursuing developmental opportunities…

the long hours and work supporting war efforts from afarputs stress on family and social lives…

RPA units have manning shortages…

All groups said there is a broad negative perception of drone pilots.

The results are not substantially different than those same questions would have garnered from virtually any other Air Force career field.

Notably, the GAO also recommended the Air Force consider opening drone pilot operations to enlisted personnel:

the Air Force reiterated its position that an officer is necessary “to ensure rank is commensurate with responsibility.”

UAV/RPA operators may yet get their “drone medal.” As for how else to improve morale — the Air Force would probably like to support the morale of all its Airmen, who seem to be “frustrated” that the nation doesn’t know what they’re doing (not to mention nuclear missile crews (and now bomber crews) who are repeatedly in the news with similar issues of morale). What will change? Could be interesting.

ADVERTISEMENT