Old Army guy here, too. The tough part about all of this is that the guys wearing the stars are totally at the mercy of some anonymous 19-year-old E-3 following orders and using proper procedure at all times to ensure safe operation in an inherently dangerous atmosphere/situation. Of course, the E-3 has a chain of command that should be checking behind every move and conducting training in all operational procedures to be certain of proper execution of orders. Sounds good but people are still people and absolute perfection is tough to be achieve.
In my Army time, I know I put my lieutenant bars on the line with every round shot from a howitzer where I was responsible as either a Safety Officer or Executive Officer. I never had an incident but certainly heard of rounds being sent out of the impact zone or a battery being aimed 180 degrees wrong. I have no knowledge of a general officer being brought to grief over such incidents.
Absolute perfection is hard to achieve in any human endeavor, but 4 ship crashes in a period of a few months, two with multiple fatalies, is way beyond mere mistakes. Something was seriously, deadly wrong with that command from top to bottom. The captain is responsible for his ship, but the chain of command is responsible for the captain.
Had a Squadron Commander, a LT. Col., says the same thing.