Originally Posted by
WillowRun 6-3
....@ST Dog
As the questions I asked probably reveal, I cannot claim any familiarity or experience with U.S. military aviation accident or incident investigations.
I am quite familiar with them, having been on a few investigating teams for mishap investigations, and having been the lead also (when I was an O-4 and an O-5).
Galaxy Flyer covered most of it.
I have also been involved with the other kind of investigation, which in the Navy we called te JAG Manual Investigation. I have also had the opportunity to review both kinds of reports and arrive at the Flag Officer recommendation / position / summary / endorsement when I was on a flag staff.
This occasionally gets one bundles of hate-mail from the subordinate commanders.
The amount of political visibility this accident / mishap investigation has accrued only makes the two above processes, which go along in parallel, more complex and more difficult. There are a team or two of officers and NCOs, I am sure, currently getting little to no sleep as they go through those processes.
Note: the last time I did any of the above is a bit over 20 years ago, but I doubt much has changed other than the increases in pressure to 'say something' based on how the Information age has evolved. I must say that I am grateful that I no longer have that task on the list of things I may be required to do in the course of my job.