(Opinion) medals for drone pilots?

While there are more pressing issues to write about, the US military plans to give medals  too drone pilots seems really crazy. Military medals are usually doled out for service in war and bravery displayed in the battle but to give medals to drone pilots, who never sees any action, is like giving the medal of honor to Scooby and Shaggy.

while the skills of drone pilots are vital in war, to give medals to them is a slap in the face of those injured, killed or risked life and limb in the field of battle and ultimately cheapens the other medals the military gives to its most deserving soldiers. This can be seen as the introduction of the culture of giving medals based on participation rather than on merit into the military, an institution, probably more than any other, is built on the concept of merit. 

In sum, the military simply cannot give medals to drone pilots as the only danger they face is thumb blisters and a dead leg, an injury that can easily be topped by accident in the field of battle. beside the obvious differences with regard to the proximity to danger, it is contrary to the reason why medals are handed out in the first place as medals are a recognition of the contribution and sacrifice demonstrated by those who chose to serve, not a recognition of participation.