Before you all get too carried away berating the military's incompetence with PCM, the RAF played a major role in the response to this crash. Apparently 4 RAF SAR cabs attended (Two from Valley and one each from Leconfield and Boulmer), along with a military mountain rescue team, and airlifted many of the casualties to hospital. Well done to those concerned, I wish you military types wouldn't beat yourselves up so much, particularly in public.
A good point when confined to this incident - and Sir Richard did mention the RAF's contribution when he congratulated the emergency services during his initial press briefing.
I think that there is a good point to be made about PCM, though. Virgin has been completely frank and honest about the details concerning the crash, and although the police will be invesitgating the causes Sir Richard has not been shy of saying that the police's prevailing suspicion is that there has been a points failure.
Whether this turns out to be the case or not, what it has done is prevent the media from speculating wildly about the causes and ramifications of the crash. Contrast that with everything the MOD has done in recent years. The media like to be kept informed, and Virgin has done a sterling job so far. Maybe Des Browne could swallow his (and the MOD's corporate) pride and reconsider the PCM media strategy?