RAF pilot: 'utterly horrific' drone warfare gave me PTSD

RAF pilot: 'utterly horrific' drone warfare gave me PTSD

A former military drone pilot says he has been left with PTSD after being put at risk of "psychological harm" for years on end while viewing "utterly horrific" things on screen. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Adrian Chiles, ‘Rob’ (not his real name) also said he became suicidal due to the way the armed forces dealt with his request for mental help. Rob was a member of 13 Squadron until 2017, a specialist team within the Royal Air Force which operate unmanned drone aircraft from a military base in the UK. The Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, or Reaper, was first used by the UK in Afghanistan in 2008 for surveillance, and later fitted with weapons. By March 2015 the UK had carried out some 70 drone strikes against so-called Islamic State (IS) targets in Iraq.

The MOD issued this statement, ‘‘We do not recognise the allegations made with respect to the working environment on our Reaper Squadrons. The RAF actively manages Reaper Force crews to ensure that their workload is manageable, sustainable and balanced, alongside providing world-class military healthcare for those that need it. “All allegations of civilian casualties are subject to extensive investigations. We continue to do everything we can to minimise the risk of civilian casualties through the rigorous targeting processes and the professionalism of our crews.”

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June Steenkamp

June Steenkamp

June Steenkamp talks to Dan and Sarah about one of the biggest international news stories of the past year. Last month South African paralympian and Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was jailed for five years after admitting to shooting his girlfriend, June's daughter, Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door at his home in Pretoria. The court cleared him of her murder, but found him guilty of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter in English courts. He's now serving his sentence in Kgosi Mampuru prison, but could be released next year, to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. Throughout the trail June Steenkamp attended court every single day. She has now written a book about her daughter, her death, the trial and media storm that followed.

19 Marras 201429min

Syrian Border special report

Syrian Border special report

5 live's Phil Mackie reports from Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, 12 miles from the Syrian border. In what's been described as the biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War half the Syrian population has been forced to flee their homes and 3.2 million are now registered as refugees outside the country.

17 Marras 201424min

5 live In Short - 16 November

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Democracy in England

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Simon Warr

Simon Warr

Simon Warr was recently acquitted of seven charges of abusing children at two Suffolk schools where he taught in the 80s and 90s. He tells Stephen Nolan how the two year nightmare cost him friends, his reputation, his livelihood and drove him to consider taking his own life

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In Short 26 October

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The week on 5 live including the shooting at the Canadian Parliament, the death of Lynda Bellingham and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston sets sail again.

27 Loka 201449min

Watergate editor Ben Bradlee dies

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Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein pay tribute to their former editor at the Washington Post during Watergate, Ben Bradlee, who has died aged 93.

22 Loka 201412min

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