Bravery and drone pilots [View all]

[The Northerner]

The Pentagon considers awarding war medals to those who operate America's death-delivering video games



The effort to depict drone warfare as some sort of courageous and noble act is intensifying:

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

[Army Institute of Heraldry chief Charles] 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 proposed medal would rank between the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Soldier’s Medal for exceptional conduct outside a combat zone.

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2012/07/10/bravery_and_drone_pilots/


Does anyone else think it's a sign of bravery to operate drones which violate other countries's airspaces and remorselessly slaughter civilians and terrorism "suspects" without a trial whatsoever?