You are supposed to be an intelligent person, that last comment will upset a lot of people including me. That detachment was not an accident waiting to happen, every job was a VIP job to us. Every single soldier, be he general or private was a VIP. Of the two jobs you mention, a resupply to troops living in bunkers on the front line (and it was the front line) was equally as important as the fatal trip. You were not there, doing the job we did every day, you do not know what you are talking about. 1. Don't quote the flight safety line either, we did the job as safe as we could in the circumstances. When you regularly operate close to the limits, these things can happen. 2. Don't tell us we became blase (sp?), we were constantly reminded that safety came first.
The Chinook flight was well run by professional aviators. Why this happened, who knows, maybe they were negligent, maybe they were not. Maybe Walters crackpot theory is correct, maybe not. I don't know the facts, neither does anyone else left alive.
If you had stated that 'in my opinion' before your statement instead of 'fact', you may have more sympathy.