Whilst I agree that the order above that of some bravery awards is a bit odd, I also believe there is something more to this than "blanket stackers at home supporting ops".
If you fly an armed RPAS or UAV then you will most likely have to exercise 'courageous restraint' (ie. not take a shot when a troop on the ground is screaming for it because the enemy is next to a bus full of 40 school kids) and have to make decisions that could take lives, save lives and then have to live with the consequences. You could argue that this alone is more desrving than flying a relatively benign sortie in the rear areas in a tanker or ISTAR aircraft where there is little threat from the ground or hostile aircraft.
Furthermore, the guys and girls that fly RPAS or UAV become legitimate targets on home soil in a combat situation. I'm pretty sure that AQ or other enemy forces would love to 'slot' an RPAS driver on their way to work, in the NAAFI / Commisary or when doing other stuff in uniform.
At present our very own REAPER UOR crews do not get AFG Campaign Medals - I think this is wrong. They are flying daily missions in support of ISAF and making life or death decisions, sometimes taking lives to save others and then having to live with the stress of these decisions (watching the effects of their decisions in graphic detail on a high res EO/IR sensor and listening to the screams of combatants in the background on the radio). Surely some of that deserves so,e sort of recognition?
LJ