As an independent arbiter, having never flown the UAVs but been closely associated, trust me, the problems and skills are closely related to "real world". Like it or not, these things are the future and they are very effective. Some of the problems of flying "virtual" real operations are way more complex than any that we grunting fighter types ever experienced.
Cut the guys some slack. They provide a massive capability. Just because they live in Vegas doesn't mean its glitzy.