Ogsplash,
I believe the H60 floats were never approved, and were therefore not ever installed on fleet aircraft. Even the vestigal mounts were removed, I think.
Regarding the unfortunate loss of good people while they practice for combat, I believe the public understands and agrees, but the press must sell the deoderant and cars that pay for the newsprint, so controversy must be stirred up. Just hold the line, it is a noble thing to serve in the military, and when someone dies in a mishap while doing exercises, it is still a sacrifice.
BTW, I had lunch once with the CO of Ft. Rucker, Don Parker, right after he had been interviewed by "60 Minutes". He was concerned that the TV show would not carry his quote that I remember to this day, "My soldiers are safer strapped in the back of a Black Hawk than they are in their cars on the weekend." They lost many times more young, aggressive, healthy people in off duty accidents than they did in night helicopter exercises, because young people are risk takers and the military takes extra effort to train that out of them.
The TV show did not carry that quote, naturally.