Thank you for caring about safety! I agree with you. I'll add my two cents about Rush: I find it interesting that he must have believed it was safe. I think I take solace that he died doing this, believing his own bullshit. I'd hate to think of him living his life when he sent others knowingly to their grave. If anyone deserved to suffer the consequences of his decisions, it is him.
This was back in 82 so I should have expected it... my dad was a mechanic and I learned from him so I was a bit blindsided... I got out of mechanics and the military and into self employment in computers so things are indeed better. Thank you for the kind wishes!
When I joined the army I was trained to be a generator mechanic. My final test to graduate I scored 99%.... my first duty station, my bosses didn't like female mechanics and put me in the tool cage, signing tools in and out.... I hated it. Glad you have support from your male coworkers and manager!