The Wounds of the Drone Warrior - New York Times

[dimsum]

Long but very good article by the New York Times on PTSD and its effects on RPA crews and intelligence analysts. 

In one recent survey, Wayne Chappelle and Lillian Prince, researchers for the School of Aerospace Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Fairborn, Ohio, drew on interviews that they and other colleagues conducted with 141 intelligence analysts and officers involved in remote combat operations to assess their emotional reactions to killing. Far from exhibiting a sense of carefree detachment, three-fourths reported feeling grief, remorse and sadness. Many experienced these “negative, disruptive emotions” for a month or more. According to another recent study conducted by the Air Force, drone analysts in the “kill chain” are exposed to more graphic violence — seeing “destroyed homes and villages,” witnessing “dead bodies or human remains” — than most Special Forces on the ground.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/magazine/veterans-ptsd-drone-warrior-wounds.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

 

[Daishi]

I joined up with the military for all the sunshine and roses I was told about.

Sunshine...check.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Long but very good article by the New York Times on PTSD and its effects on RPA crews and intelligence analysts. 

In one recent survey, Wayne Chappelle and Lillian Prince, researchers for the School of Aerospace Medicine at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Fairborn, Ohio, drew on interviews that they and other colleagues conducted with 141 intelligence analysts and officers involved in remote combat operations to assess their emotional reactions to killing. Far from exhibiting a sense of carefree detachment, three-fourths reported feeling grief, remorse and sadness. Many experienced these “negative, disruptive emotions” for a month or more. According to another recent study conducted by the Air Force, drone analysts in the “kill chain” are exposed to more graphic violence — seeing “destroyed homes and villages,” witnessing “dead bodies or human remains” — than most Special Forces on the ground.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/13/magazine/veterans-ptsd-drone-warrior-wounds.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

An interesting article but a concept not entirely new; there were journal articles by the lead investigator (Chappelle) on this subject several years ago.  It seems to be the main focus of his research.

https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/2005723861_Wayne_Chappelle

 

[korkeaw]

Thank you for this answer.