The 2nd coolest job in the world!

[Ralphie]

Ok so imo, the 1st is an Astronaut. By far the coolest. First off you're among a very elite group that can say you have seen Earth with your own eyes and not just through pictures.

The view alone would be worth it.

Heck i'd even do it if it mean't I could never return. I would give anything to see what they have seen with my own eyes.

Also poop and skittles that float in mid air is boss. End of story lol.


0 gravity bitches.


Ok so imo, the 2nd coolest job in the world is

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/te...rone-1C9319684



I mean just check out that fucking control center.

The article says some of them are outfitted to make use of Playstation 2 controllers.

I know it can be stressful and downright horrible at times, but I think that it would be so awesome.

I remember buddies telling me that they sometimes use the drones to "hover" over units at night as they sleep, to keep an eye out in case of ambush etc.

So basically pulling fire guard duty.

How awesome is that, watching over 200 soldiers ensuring their safety and knowing because of you, they got a decent sleep maybe and can accomplish more the next day.

Pretty fucking cool if you ask me.

If I had to go into the Military now, I would not sign on the dotted line, unless this is what I would be doing.

[Accrdwgnguy]

Its good to know a life spent playing video games is not wasted!

[ninethreecoupe]

I do think its a really good job as well. And may be off topic but I'm also against the "Nintendo Medal" being placed as a more distinguished honor than a Bronze Star or Purple Heart. I've flown small UAVs like the Raven and Wasp. Its fuckin badass looking through the camera looking at where your standing and you wouldn't even know it was there. I understand that Predators and the like are combat oriented but still don't think it merits that much of a medal. Even with that said....I'd sign up for this job in a heartbeat. It literally is just like playing a game. The controller is like the old big Nintendo handheld game. Sick shit.

[h22sparkle]

Too much call of duty for them.

[Joey GT-R]

I wanted to be a UAV Operator when I joined but the program was so young when I enlisted. I qualify for the job but so many people were brought in when the program started the promotion process is SLOW. It would be an additional 2 years in addition to the 2 years I've been waiting now to hit my next pay grade.

The school is TOUGH from what I heard from reports. It's 9 months long and they compare it to engineering courses in college. It's not only learning to fly the thing but when it breaks down in the desert YOU (along with a tech) have to fix it. So there are some complex electronics/computer science courses thrown in for good measure. You've got things such as trajectories, vectoring, and other things as well.

Not every UAV operator is an air conditioned room, sometimes you're right there with the infantry as well, so you can get shot/blown up.

[Ralphie]

I wanted to be a UAV Operator when I joined but the program was so young when I enlisted. I qualify for the job but so many people were brought in when the program started the promotion process is SLOW. It would be an additional 2 years in addition to the 2 years I've been waiting now to hit my next pay grade.

The school is TOUGH from what I heard from reports. It's 9 months long and they compare it to engineering courses in college. It's not only learning to fly the thing but when it breaks down in the desert YOU (along with a tech) have to fix it. So there are some complex electronics/computer science courses thrown in for good measure. You've got things such as trajectories, vectoring, and other things as well.

Not every UAV operator is an air conditioned room, sometimes you're right there with the infantry as well, so you can get shot/blown up.

Yea this post is spot on.

Im sure the courses/training is really rigorous, as the military, while not always, tries not to let just anyone commandeer million dollar pieces of equipment.

You have to troubleshoot on a scale much harder and sophisticated then your average IT professional, and in a much more time specific period.

And yes, not all these guys are safe at home, but I think there is a HUGE sqad out in the mid west.

I'd do this in a heartbeat, no matter what classes I had to take and no matter where it took me.

I wish I knew about this when I joined in 2003.

[Leung]

oh i thought they were drone pilots.

[owequitit]

Ok so imo, the 1st is an Astronaut. By far the coolest. First off you're among a very elite group that can say you have seen Earth with your own eyes and not just through pictures.

The view alone would be worth it.

Heck i'd even do it if it mean't I could never return. I would give anything to see what they have seen with my own eyes.

Also poop and skittles that float in mid air is boss. End of story lol.


0 gravity bitches.


Ok so imo, the 2nd coolest job in the world is

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/te...rone-1C9319684



I mean just check out that fucking control center.

The article says some of them are outfitted to make use of Playstation 2 controllers.

I know it can be stressful and downright horrible at times, but I think that it would be so awesome.

I remember buddies telling me that they sometimes use the drones to "hover" over units at night as they sleep, to keep an eye out in case of ambush etc.

So basically pulling fire guard duty.

How awesome is that, watching over 200 soldiers ensuring their safety and knowing because of you, they got a decent sleep maybe and can accomplish more the next day.

Pretty fucking cool if you ask me.

If I had to go into the Military now, I would not sign on the dotted line, unless this is what I would be doing.

That is a lame ass job.

I know a bunch of people who do it and every single one of them HATES it. They only do it for the money because they make a shit ton of starting money.

Also, for the civilian guys who do it, you should know that they are not military assets, and thus they are not guaranteed military protection. They tell them that on day 1 during the interview.

The 2nd coolest job in the world would be flying the real thing because you are in between the astronaut and the drone "pilot."

[Bullhorn7]

Are they on myspace? on the center computer screen?

[deevergote]

That sort of thing is actually a bit scary. It removes the human element, keeping those men safely away from active combat (while still allowing them to participate), but how easy is it to just push a button and watch the enemies on the screen go down? Human life is LITERALLY reduced to little more than a video game. Scary.

Maybe someday all nations will have mechanical combatants, and the only way to win a war would be to completely bankrupt a country by blowing up all their toys!

[Ralphie]

That is a lame ass job.

I know a bunch of people who do it and every single one of them HATES it. They only do it for the money because they make a shit ton of starting money.

Also, for the civilian guys who do it, you should know that they are not military assets, and thus they are not guaranteed military protection. They tell them that on day 1 during the interview.

The 2nd coolest job in the world would be flying the real thing because you are in between the astronaut and the drone "pilot."

Yea, I suppose I can't argue with you on that.

1 being the aforementioned Astronaut....

but even though I think a Drone pilot would be cool, I'm sure it sucks compared to really flying lol.

So I now make this the 3rd coolest job in lieu of new evidence.

[Ralphie]

oh i thought they were drone pilots.

They are drone pilots lol.

[owequitit]

That sort of thing is actually a bit scary. It removes the human element, keeping those men safely away from active combat (while still allowing them to participate), but how easy is it to just push a button and watch the enemies on the screen go down? Human life is LITERALLY reduced to little more than a video game. Scary.

Maybe someday all nations will have mechanical combatants, and the only way to win a war would be to completely bankrupt a country by blowing up all their toys!

This is accurate to a degree.

1) Civilian pilots of drones can't actually fire any weapons. They will fly the bird to station, hand over control to a military operator and then regain control after the attack.

Military guys can take the military drones all the way to the target, wipe out the bad guys and come home, so it depends on who owns the drone.

2) As for the human aspect, I largely disagree to a point. Ground vs ground combat, yes, that assumption is partly correct. However, these drones are really doing a whole lot of that. They are doing jobs that mostly would have been done by aircraft/satellites previously, and it isn't like they were up close and personal with their targets. A fighter dropping a bomb from 20,000 feet isn't any more personal than a drone dropping one. The only difference is that the drone pilot doesn't have the risk of getting shot down, so in that regard you are correct.

However, also note that historically as war has become less up close and personal, there has actually been less of it, with fewer deaths...

What I don't like is the idea of Police State drones flying over our neighborhoods enforcing things that shouldn't even be seen...and it is coming (it has already started).

[illinois_erik]

Are they on myspace? on the center computer screen?

I zoomed in, I dont think its myspace

[PUMASTi]

I always thought Top Gear UK Presenters had the coolest job in the world.