Reaper Pilots: Military injury legal expert sets out the impact of remote warfighting and making an AFCS claim
With the advancements in modern technology, military personnel can now be involved in military operations without being physically present on the battlefield. However, this doesn't lessen the potential impact on individuals who find themselves engaged in war fighting roles but are located thousands of miles of away from the front line.
The MQ-9 A Reaper and Predator Reapers weapon systems, can be operated from thousands of miles away by a remote operator. While these aren't the traditional kinetic weapon systems often associated with the military, they're some the deadliest weapons in the military’s arsenal, and are a far cry from what is sometimes seen as “video game warfare”.
The role of a Reaper pilot
A Reaper pilot’s role isn't merely one of watch, wait and deploy, it's in fact much more complex and intricate that this. Often Reaper pilots are responsible in carrying out reconnaissance of a target, and can spend several hours studying and watching from a far, getting to understand their target’s day-to-day life, where they work, who their friends and family are etc.
As a result, many Reaper operators often struggle to dehumanise their targets and distance themselves from incidents which are very real and deeply human.
A drone operator's work doesn't end with a completed mission
On the completion of a mission pilots are required to produce detailed action reports. Part of the reporting process means they have to watch the aftermath of their missions and whilst this may only be images on a screen to some people, it's a very different view from those who experience and live this working environment first-hand.
Reaper pilots are often exposed to high-resolution images and high-fidelity sounds, that play out in real-time.
Reluctance among Reaper pilots to report mental health issues
It appears that many Reaper pilots haven't considered that they too are just as susceptible to sustaining a mental health injury as a result of their roles as a soldier who is fighting and is physically located on the battlefield.
It has been reported that Reaper pilots don't come forward with their mental health struggles, for fear of being mocked by their peers as they weren't at risk of death themselves.
Many others seem to believe that because they're not physically part of the battlefield, they're not at risk of developing a mental health injury. As a result, the symptoms they experience, and that are indeed associated with mental health injuries, go unrecognised or dismissed as being part of the job.
Ending a life or experiencing battlefield trauma isn't something we are equipped to deal with on our own, but yet some members of the Armed Forces, and in particular Reaper pilots, do try and continue to hide the fallout from these experiences
Data around Unmanned Aerial Vehicle PTSD assessments
UK Government statistics following a request under the Freedom of Information Act request in January 2021 stated that between 1 April, 2019, and 31 March, 2020, fewer than five UK armed forces Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) personnel had an initial assessment for PTSD at MoD Specialist Mental Health Services.
However, independent studies seem to suggest much higher figures of Reaper pilots have reported that their role has had a psychological impact on their personal and work life.
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
Under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), any serving service member, or indeed a veteran, is entitled to bring a claim for a mental health injury, that has been predominantly caused as a result of service on or after 6 April 2005. In order to bring a claim under the scheme you must have a diagnosable condition which has been diagnosed by a consultant psychologist or psychiatrist.
From the same source, UK Government statistics confirm that between 1 April, 2019, and 31 March, 2020, only eight PTSD claims were awarded under the Mental Disorder tariff of injury table under the AFCS to UK armed forces UAV personnel, with £50,470 compensation paid out in lump sum awards.
Expert military lawyers supporting drone pilots
I recently secured a compensation settlement of more than £1 million for a client who (PTSD) while working in the RAF.
The Reaper pilot approached me after his AFCS claim for PTSD was rejected. Many arguments were presented by Veterans UK in rejecting the claim, including that he had not been “exposed to death or threatened with death”.
Irwin Mitchell represented Rob and at a AFCS Tribunal was successful in being able to firmly establish that this PTSD diagnosis was as a result of his service after 6 April, 2005. As a result of Irwin Mitchell’s work Rob was awarded a top-level award for his PTSD under the scheme, which had a life-changing impact for him and his family.
Find out more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in supporting all military serving personnel and veterans who have experienced mental health injury as a result of service at our dedicated military injuries section.
