I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4453 
To provide a process by which certain wounded warriors who face medical 
discharge from the Armed Forces may instead continue to serve in 
the Armed Forces as remotely piloted aircraft pilots or remotely piloted 
aircraft sensor operators in the Air Force. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 17, 2017 
Mr. PEARCE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To provide a process by which certain wounded warriors 
who face medical discharge from the Armed Forces may 
instead continue to serve in the Armed Forces as re-
motely piloted aircraft pilots or remotely piloted aircraft 
sensor operators in the Air Force. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SERVICE OF WOUNDED WARRIORS AS RE-
MOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT PILOTS OR RE-
MOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT SENSOR OPERA-
TORS IN THE AIR FORCE. 
(a) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—The Secretary of the Air 
Force shall establish a program under which a qualified 
wounded warrior who faces retirement or separation from 
the Armed Forces for physical disability may continue, in 
lieu of such retirement or separation, to serve in the 
Armed Forces as a remotely piloted aircraft pilot or re-
motely piloted aircraft sensor operator in the Air Force. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS.— 
(1) MODIFICATION
OF
PHYSICAL
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—In the case of wounded warriors only, the 
Secretary of the Air Force shall modify the physical 
fitness requirements applicable to a wounded warrior 
who is seeking to serve, or is serving, as a remotely 
piloted aircraft pilot or remotely piloted aircraft sen-
sor operator if the wounded warrior is incapable of 
meeting such requirements, such as completing an 
annual physical training test, due to the service-re-
lated disability, but otherwise satisfies the remotely 
piloted aircraft medical standard. 
(2) MEDICAL
WAIVERS.—The restriction on 
medical waivers contained in section 6.4.5.1 of Air 
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Force Instruction 48–123 shall not apply to the pro-
gram required by this section. 
(3) CONTINUED APPLICABILITY OF OTHER RE-
QUIREMENTS.—To serve as a remotely piloted air-
craft pilot or remotely piloted aircraft sensor oper-
ator, a wounded warrior applicant would still have to 
pass— 
(A) the applicable Air Force Officer Quali-
fying Test or Armed Services Vocational Apti-
tude Battery; and 
(B) the applicable security and mental 
health requirements. 
(4) AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION.—A wound-
ed warrior may not be selected to serve, or continue 
to serve, as a remotely piloted aircraft pilot or re-
motely piloted aircraft sensor operator if the Sec-
retary of the Air Force determines that— 
(A) the wounded warrior presents a hazard 
to flying safety or mission completion; 
(B) performance of the duty would be haz-
ardous to the health of the wounded warrior; or 
(C) the wounded warrior is diagnosed with 
post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain 
injury, or any other mental disorder that could 
hinder mission performance. 
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(c) PRIORITY FOR CERTAIN WOUNDED WARRIORS.— 
In selecting wounded warriors to serve as a remotely pi-
loted aircraft pilot or remotely piloted aircraft sensor oper-
ator, the Secretary of the Air Force shall give priority to 
wounded warriors whose disability was incurred— 
(1) in the line of duty in a combat zone des-
ignated by the Secretary of Defense; or 
(2) during the performance of duty in combat- 
related operations as designated by the Secretary of 
Defense. 
(d) TRANSFER AUTHORITY.—In the case of a wound-
ed warrior who is not a member of the Air Force, the Sec-
retary of the Air Force shall cooperate with the Secretary 
concerned having jurisdiction over the wounded warrior to 
transfer the wounded warrior from the other Armed Force 
to the Air Force to permit the wounded warrior to be se-
lected for the program under this section. 
(e) WOUNDED WARRIOR DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘wounded warrior’’ means a member of the 
Armed Forces who— 
(1) is unfit to perform the duties of the mem-
ber’s office, grade, rank, or rating because of phys-
ical disability incurred in the line of duty; and 
(2) is under consideration for retirement or sep-
aration under chapter 61 of title 10, United States 
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Code, or has been placed on the temporary disability 
retired list. 
Æ 
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