A Troubling Disconnection

A Troubling Disconnection

Although it may seem counterintuitive, surveys show that the military operators of drones (note that C.I.A. operators were not in the survey) suffer post-traumatic stress disorder at higher rates than do soldiers in combat zones. Why? First, instead of going to war with a unit that offers community, cohesion and military support services, drone operators are commuter warriors who go to their battle stations alone, with few support systems.

Second, the operators see in detail the destruction and grisly human toll from their work, whereas a traditional bomber sees little of what happens after dropping a bomb. As Col. Pete Gersten, commander of Unmanned Aerial Systems at Creech Air F
americamagazine.org

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Tags: C.I.A, Col. Pete Gersten, community cohesion, Disconnection, military operators, Note, post traumatic stress, post traumatic stress disorder, Support, survey, traumatic stress disorder, Troubling

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