The senior ranks not taking responsibility for their decisions is not new. A young man I met when he was a high school student went on to join the RAAF, dux of his wings course, went straight to F-111, and dux of that as well. Being a computer whip the squadron had him doing IT work with little flying, though he was champing at the bit and on the back of his seniors for same. Came the day, night actually, he was put down to fly a night low level simulated attack mission, not only fly, but to brief the others, and lead the mission, despite not having flown at night for some six months, and the nav was not his usual crew member, since he was down medically. A young buck (squadrons youngest and most inexperienced) not wanting to be seen lacking and desperate for stick time. What could go wrong? Weather was crap, and the poor guy lost it during the attack and CFIT. It took his Mother to investigate and find what went on, and detailed it in a book "The Thirteenth Night". The only RAAF fatal accident not to have had an official investigation. Why is that you might well ask. Senior officers with red faces? Where was the supervisory oversight of this young man, and in particular, the authorising officer of the fatal flight? The reason those people are in place is to pace the development of the up and comers, not to let them get in over their heads.
RIP Jeremy McNess - one of our nations most dedicated and brightest.