Three airmen completed undergraduate remotely piloted aircraft training on May 5 and made history by becoming the first group of enlisted men to serve as pilots in the U.S. Air Force since World War 2.
U.S. Air Force illustration/Tech. Sgt. Ave I. Young
This is sad that the officers have relegated enlisted to the RPA community. We’re supposed to be thankful that they’ve allowed enlisted to take the stick again, but I reject that follower mentality. The first military aviators in the Army Air Corps were enlisted and they shed their blood and lives proving the value of air superiority, and eventually, the officers pushed them aside. They should be welcomed back at the tip of the spear, not via remote control. That said, I congratulate those who graduated and hope there are many more. I will be there to demand the same treatment and benefits for them, currently offered to officers.