Meet the men and women behind the drones

by Dave Freeman on October 14, 2009

Photo credit: Dan Winters

So everyone knows now that the military uses UAVs for actions in the Middle East. What isn’t as commonly known, is that the men and women who pilot the remote controlled aircraft do so from the relative comfort of a top secret facility in the Nevada desert. In some ways, it’s the ultimate video game.

It’s a bit surreal. A soldier assigned to the Reaper and Predator program may see combat at 2:00pm, and then go home at 5:30pm and stop for Taco Bell on the way home. Esquire managed to get some really excellent access at the site, and spent some time with the the people responsible for helping defend the ground troops in Afghanistan.

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VH - October 15th, 2009 at 4:02 am GMT+5

So “the ultimate video game” is killing people for real? Typical American bullshit.

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- Proto - October 15th, 2009 at 7:57 am GMT+5
  
  Someone’s never read Ender’s Game. Do a little reading and then come back here.
  
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- Bill Ronsky - October 15th, 2009 at 8:14 am GMT+5
  
  He’s being sarcastic you dolt. He’s poking fun at the fact that a “soldier” can now kill people using controls and a screen ala a video game, and his/her work can be like a 9-5 job. Kill someone you never met 4,000 miles away, then go buy a hamburger with your hard earned dollars from McDonalds. How amazingly American/capitalist is that!
  
  It is disgusting, but what are you gonna do about it?
  
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Jeebuz - October 15th, 2009 at 8:17 am GMT+5

You could be on the shitter and kill people! Where do I sign up?

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Pat - October 15th, 2009 at 9:47 am GMT+5

I’ll wait for the iphone app.

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blagolover - October 16th, 2009 at 1:26 am GMT+5

..hmm what happenned to “i voted for change!” and “impeached bush” ?

I’m glad obama is keeping it real…

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