Does anyone feel that the nat'l exposure this incident received influenced the severity of the decision?
Go and look at how many Captains retain control of their Command after an accident. It happens, but seems to be rare. I'd be more willing to believe that the extensive damage and the fact that someone died was the deciding factor over media exposure.
If that were the case then he would have been given a medal instead of relieved.
Every report, everyone I know, everyone I talked to, all of the posts on here have come down on the side of the captain.