Is this the normal way to move these highly specialized troops - bunched into an overly large group in a single aircraft? Has this been done before? If no, why this time? Is this normal?? If not, why this time?
Who is the commander who ordered this? Is he/she being held accountable for this decision?
A highly specialized team, going to insertion, and no gunship tac trail? No C & C orbiting higher, No AWACS layered eyes? RPG's are point and shoot. Either the bird comes close to the ground because it is flying over a mountain, or it is on approach, otherwise, no can hit the hook.
I could imagine a scenario whereby they were planning on a stealth insertion, but would still have tac trail, perhaps higher in the form of a fast mover, and had their plans compromised, thus flying into a hasty ambush.
Many questions, here.
Yes. I've observed vast numbers of missions with only Chinooks, Blackhawks, little birds, or any combination of the above. It's always at the mission's requirements and available resources. Wardak is right next to Bagram and Shank (the two big air hubs in RC-E), meaning they could have taken their pick of any number of airframes.
Who is the commander who ordered this? Is he/she being held accountable for this decision?
No. Airlift is airlift. The military ordered Chinooks for a reason. The fact that they occasionally get shot down doesn't negate the overall need for massing troops into a single airframe.
As an example, due to altitude, tiny landing zones on mountainous areas, or any number of reasons, it may have been more or less advantageous to use one large Chinook for their IRF team. Not being the commander on the ground, there's dozens of factors we're not seeing, and only one that we are. It's easy to sharpshoot that one, more so today, but these guys run these types of missions every night. If they choose a certain air frame, it's because it's the tool they desired for that mission.