This came out during the "War On Terror" as well. Killing from afar.
Military Drone Operators Suffer a Heavy Mental Toll
'New York Times' explores the effects on themwww.newser.com
That is utter and complete horse hockey.
Drone pilots do, in fact, have access to the exact same psychiatric resources that guys deployed to combat zones. All he needs to do is tell his supervisor, "I need to go see a shrink." Soldiers deployed into theater have to answer repeated questionnaires about whether they need to see a shrink before they are released. Just because drone pilots are not forced to decline psychiatric care does not mean they are denied psychiatric care.
Now, how many drone pilots (as drone pilots, not later when they moved to some other job) died in the war on terror? How many lost limbs? How many suffered traumatic brain injuries? Zero. Not one.
There was a drone pilot flying Predators in the Balkans from an air conditioned box in Nellis AFB. The weather was bad in the Balkans. Freezing rain, and wing icing, ice on the camera. The drone pilot successfully landed the drone. In the Stars and Stripes article he said, "The emotions were real. There I was, flying through terrible weather, but I made it. [I'm a hero.]"
Sorry, killing scumbags is you job. And you are at absolutely no physical danger at all. None whatsoever. A garbage collector faces greater risks every day. But, if killing folks that needed killing bothers you, by all means, go talk to a shrink. I have arranged the killing of lots of folks who needed killing. Not one of them was going to experience a change of heart, apologize, and try to get right with the American people. They were going to keep on killing Americans until someone put them in the ground. I sleep great at night. I suggest drone pilots seek the same clarity.
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