Just to be clear, I wasn't looking to start anything
Just didn't have time for an in-depth response last night.
TS, all of your examples, no. However, I did spend some time in the 82nd, did a fair bit of rucking & jumping, and spent some time in OIF & OEF - not nearly as much time on the ground as a lot on here, but some.
The following is a reply to no one in particular, just throwing it out there -
Neither is harder, IMO. Both do about the same damage to your body, based on what I've experienced, just in different ways.
Jumping, rucking, just being a ground guy has a direct wear and tear affect on your body - back, knees, etc.
Sitting in a cockpit in the classic helicopter pose (slightly hunched over, right arm forward and left arm back so there's a slight twist to the left, and your feet almost straight out in front of you either applying constant pressure or just hovering over the pedals but not touching them - depending on what you fly), with a plate and basic load of 5.56mm and 9mm on your chest, for 4-8+ hours. That does something completely different. Not to mention the noise & vibration or the craptastic helmet and NVGs (no difference between us and the ground, except for the constant vibration instead of strenuous physical activity).
Then there are the guys in the back, all of the same equipment, but with either shitty seats (60s), or no seats unless they're using folding chairs (47s). That's when they're sitting, which most of the time they aren't, including take off and landing. Haven't done this, but I can imagine it sucks.
So, my point isn't to start a pissing match, but only that - having experienced both - I venture to say that both have the same end state, just different processes.
Now, why the attention?
Well, because us flyboys need to be pampered
But in all seriousness, I think its because there is a possibility to fix it for us - better seats, reduced vibration, using fly-by-wire to move the controls into a more ergonomic position (though, I have to say I am NOT a fan of that idea). Not so much for the guys on the ground, there is only so much you can do with a rucksack.
Now, back to my hole. No offense taken on anything, like I said, that first response was a just a quick one, didn't have a chance to sit down and formulate anything more in-depth until now.