[buckalfa]

I tend to share your concerns as my daughter is a civilian flight nurse, and the safety record of that industry makes the occupation the most dangerous in America. Maintenance is way to often short changed to save costs or maximize profit depending on the setting, military or civilian. That said, helicopters are inherently dangerous as their flight complexities leave no margin of safety in case of pilot or mechanical failure. Prayers out for the dead and injured and their families.

[Old Retired Army Guy]

When I was in Vietnam it seems like I spent the majority of my time getting on and off helicopters (2 Air Medals - Central Highlands). Can’t ell you how many close calls we had from non-hostile fire. When I asked a pilot about his maintenance schedule he jokingly referred to it as “seldom”. The environment and altitudes in Afghanistan are not friendly to helicopters and there is an element of risk everytime you board one. I hope their maintenance is better than my days. As the father of a Special Forces Officer, my heart goes out to the families of these brave men, but given what I have been reading about he new Woodward book, I think we should get out sooner rather than later and save some lives. Whether we leave now or five years from now, what we leave behind will still be the same. It’s eerily similar to Vietnam.