Senate bill would give drone combat crews official military status

What does this do?

S 2218 requires the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to establish an official combat status identifier for remotely piloted aircraft operators who fly combat missions. The four branches have 180 days after the law is passed to create this new status. The bill does not specify particular benefits or medals, only that the status must be of equivalent merit to existing combat identifiers.

Who does it affect?

The bill affects military personnel who operate drones from ground stations during combat operations across all four service branches. These crew members currently have no official combat status equivalent to that held by traditional combat troops, even when conducting the same types of missions.

Why does it matter?

Without an official combat status, drone crews' combat experience may not be formally acknowledged or recorded in military records on the same basis as other service members in combat roles. How personnel are classified in service records can have lasting effects on how their military service is recognized.

Where does it stand?