Thats a very long bow you had to draw LS to go back to Don Bennett. Despite the alleged carnage those "dreadful" RAAF chappies have wreaked on the civil aviation scene you completely missed the contribution of those from the same background who set up QANTAS post-war (I'm sure you must have flown with a few of them) and those who established TAA. I'm also certain that there wasn't an ex-RAAF member at the helm of Ansett as it was driven into the ground.
I have certainly met some who have virtually stated word for word your comment:
The general attitude that "commercial aviation" has to be rules with a rod of iron, because "civvies" will automatically cut corners at every chance, to minimise cost, and completely ignore the safety of the passengers is hardly unknown.
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One bloke I came into contact with stated that it should be illegal to fly between Cowra, Young and Cootamundra without an autopilot even though bank runners were doing it day in and day out without any problems. I have also come into contact with absolute gentlemen who understood the different nature of civil and military aviation.
I would suggest that it is not their background that makes for the wrong sort of person in CASA but that it is their personality. Maybe CASA should introduce some form of psychometric testing to find those with the appropriate temperament to do the job.