The Army was playing with UAVs thirty years ago -- and has been since. the USAF didn't want anything to do with them for many years...

Yep, the Air Force did pick up the Predator from the CIA -- but Entropy apparently missed the fact that that the Army was the initial uniformed buyer of the Predator -- and DoD made them give it to the AF(LINK)...

The Army also took it a step further (LINK) --
note the buy is for 132 of the birds...

Oh and the Army operates its Predators with non-rated NCOs...