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The demand for pilots who fly the Air Force's unmanned aircraft grows each year, but promotion rates for those aviators fall far behind their fighter, bomber and mobility counterparts.

And although the Air Force is training more pilots to fly remote-controlled Reapers, Predators and Global Hawks than traditional fighters and bombers this year, it could take two decades for the promotion opportunities to even out, Air Force officials said.

Pilots in the unmanned aircraft community come from three backgrounds: "Traditional" pilots, who go from flying manned aircraft to drones; other aviators, such as combat systems officers and air battle managers; and airmen specifically trained to fly drones as part of the 18X career field, which was established in October 2009, followed by the start of undergraduate training a year later. The 18X career field has grown to 821 pilots — about 60 percent of those assigned to fly remote-controlled aircraft.

"It is not uncommon for promotion rates in new career fields [composed] of individuals from varying backgrounds and expertise) to take time to stabilize," Air Force spokesman Maj. Joel Harper said in an email. "The first step in building a career field is creating a training pipeline followed by cross-flowing midcareer officers from related career fields to meet mission requirements. Accomplishing this in a wartime environment, with ever increasing demand, has not been without its challenges."

Promotion data since 2007 show that pilots considered by promotion boards while assigned to flying drones were less likely to advance. In 2011, for example, 92 percent of captains assigned to fighters and bombers were selected for promotion to major, compared with 78 percent of pilots assigned to fly unmanned planes.

Through five promotion cycles, only twice have pilots of unmanned aircraft experienced higher promotion rates than other pilots: In 2008, 77.8 percent of majors were selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel, compared with 68 percent of mobility pilots; and in 2011, 35 percent of lieutenant colonels up for O-6 were selected, besting the 31 percent promotion rate for mobility pilots.

Better opportunities

To increase unmanned aircraft pilots' chances of getting promoted, the Air Force is trying to give drone pilots more opportunities for professional military education, Harper said. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley also advises promotion boards that drone pilots have unique skills that are critical to national security.

"He further instructs board members that in assessing these records, the board members should consider the fact that these officers, because of the needs of the Air Force and combatant commanders, may not have received the same development opportunities and normal career progression as their peers," Harper said.

But one drone pilot said the Air Force has not addressed the basic obstacles that prevent unmanned aircraft pilots from being promoted.

"With the training and security checks involved in transitioning to [remotely piloted aircraft], almost a whole year can be lost before establishing a place in the new RPA squadron and continuing again in promotion enhancing work," said the pilot, who did not want to be identified. "While transitioning to other airframes within one's command may also take a lot of time and training, those transitions are considered leadership preparation, whereas transition to RPAs is often seen as a demotion."

Also, drone pilots fly so often that they don't have many opportunities for activities that would enhance their chances of being promoted, the pilot said in an email.

"Regardless of promotion boards' awareness of the critical skills of RPA pilots, their system is based on points and direct comparison with other pilots and other officers," the pilot said. "The sacrifices demanded by the brutal and unending shift work, the common 6-day work week which often includes upwards of 40 flying hours alone (daily briefings, training and administrative responsibilities must be accomplished on top of this), and the minimal chances at leadership responsibilities in the large and growing squadrons are not rewarded by the boards in any way."

The pilot suggested creating a level playing field for all pilots by lowering the promotion requirements for unmanned aircraft pilots.

The Air Force has heard similar complaints from airmen in other career fields, said retired Col. Terry Stevens, who has 35 years of experience in personnel.

"The non-selects want lower standards and higher promotion opportunities for their 'unique' career field to speed up promotions," Stevens said in an email. "They complain bitterly that they are too busy, or [too] critical to the job, to worry about things like advanced degrees, decorations, professional development courses, involvement with unit and base activities, and so forth and so on."

Many of the officers against whom drone pilots compete for advancement have not had better promotion opportunities, Stevens said.

Improved conditions

Given the number of drones the Air Force plans to buy, the service is going to have to do more to make the unmanned pilot career field viable, said Peter Juul, a military expert with the Center for American Progress think tank in Washington.

"Last year's Aircraft Procurement Plan projected 650 Global Hawk, Reaper and Predator drones in service by FY 2021, up from 340 in FY 2012," Juul said in an email. "The disparities continue to exist so that you're more likely to be promoted if you're not a drone pilot than if you are, so the Air Force will have to do a better job of making drones an attractive career path for younger officers and pilots."

At a news conference before his Aug. 10 retirement, former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said pilots of manned aircraft will always be important, but he acknowledged the ever-increasing reliance on drone pilots.

"Ultimately, it is conceivable that the majority of aviators in our Air Force will be remotely piloted aircraft operators," Schwartz said at the conference.

But if drone pilots are achieving a higher status in the Air Force, it's not reflected in the condition of their work and living spaces, said a second drone pilot, who also asked not to be identified.

The conditions at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., where many pilots are based, give the impression that "this mission does not really matter to anyone, anywhere," said the pilot.

"The main facility consists of a hangar and something that looks, feels, and smells like an old high school that should be condemned," the pilot said in an email. "Our bathrooms only function half the time (400 people, 5 toilets per gender). We have outhouses posted immediately outside our main entrance."

The fire alarm was broken for nearly a year, with bullhorns placed in each room to compensate, and water has at times been shut off or unsafe for drinking, the pilot said.

Air Force officials said they are working on improvements at Creech, and they blamed problems there on its rapid growth as the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission became more important.

The Air Force has spent $17 million on construction at Creech in the past two years, said Air Combat Command spokesman Col. Todd Vician.

Another $2.5 million in operations and maintenance funds and $1.3 million in Army and Air Force Exchange Service projects were used to improve the fitness and recreation facilities, he said.

Still, morale is a problem in the unmanned aircraft community, the pilot said.

"I was shocked just the other day when I held a candid conversation with one of the 'rising stars' in the squadron" who plans to leave the Air Force, the pilot said. "He told me because this community is a dead-end. There is nothing more he could accomplish, the job itself is terrible and the possibility for him getting back to his previous airframe (F-15s) was slim to none."

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