If the army saw promise in the ABC, then its surprising they chose to put zero funding towards Sikorsky's proposed XH-59B which added a ducted pusher.
Remember what was going on in those years with the Economy?
Military Budgets were affected by those same factors and the draw down from Vietnam Years.
The Army also did not get into the Tilt Rotor business either.
Their Budget was being spent on things like the Blackhawk, Apache, Kiowa, Chinook, Cobra, and Commanche.
The Strategic Focus was Tank Killing in Europe as the Soviet's superiority in numbers of Tanks was seen as the major threat.
The Army spent a lot of money on everything from Lasers, Sand Enhancer, NVG development, and a host of other critical (or thought critical) items and concepts.....besides helicopter research and development.
http://www.history.army.mil/books/DAHSUM/1980/ch11.htm