U.S. Drone Crews Are Starting To Feel The Stress Of Combat

A pilot sits at a Predator instrument panel in Arizona. (Los Angeles Times, Brian Bennett / March 17, 2012)

Stress Of Combat Reaches Drone Crews -- L.A. Times

Physically they may be thousands of miles from Iraq or Afghanistan. Psychologically, they're on the ground with troops. The disconnect, and the sense of helplessness, take a toll.

Reporting from Washington — Drone crews protect U.S. ground troops by watching over them 24 hours a day from high above. Sitting before video screens thousands of miles from their remote-controlled aircraft, the crews scan for enemy ambushes and possible roadside bombs, while also monitoring what the military calls "patterns of life."

Only rarely do drone crews fire on the enemy. The rest of the time, they sit and watch. For hours on end. Day after day.

It can get monotonous and, yes, boring.

It can also be gut-wrenching.

Read more ....

My Comment: I think drone crews experience the same emotions that ground forces do. Hours and hours and hours of sheer boredom .... followed by a burst of sheer panic and pandemonium. But are they experiencing combat stress? Hmmmm .... my answer is definitely.