Posted on 03/06/2006 6:25:20 PM PST by Former Military Chick
The Army will focus on operating procedures and a possible coverup in its reopened investigation into the death of former NFL star Pat Tillman.
WASHINGTON - The Army's criminal investigation into former NFL star Pat Tillman's death, announced on Saturday, will focus on whether his death may have been the result of criminal negligence and whether his superiors tried to cover up the facts.
According to The Associated Press, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday promised the family of former professional football player Pat Tillman that investigators would examine all of the facts surrounding his death in Afghanistan.
''Although there's no evidence that there was criminal activity, the investigators did not specifically look at whether or not there was criminal activity, criminal activity being when Cpl. Tillman was killed by friendly fire,'' Gen. Peter Pace said on NBC's Meet the Press.
Tillman, 27, was serving with the Army's 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment when he was shot and killed during a patrol in southeastern Afghanistan in April 2004. The military initially reported that enemy fighters had killed Tillman during an ambush. An investigation later revealed that he was accidentally killed by fellow Rangers.
The issues Army investigators will likely probe include:
*Why did Tillman's company commander, who wasn't on the scene, order his 34-man platoon to split in half just before the Rangers were ambushed, a decision that led directly to the friendly fire incident? Basic military doctrine says that commanders shouldn't split their forces when they're in hostile territory and may be facing a superior enemy force.
*Did other Rangers know what they were firing at before they shot Tillman and an Afghan militiaman with him? Rangers, among the Army's most elite, are taught never to fire unless they can positively identify their targets.
*Why did Tillman's superiors initially cover up the circumstances of his death? When Tillman was awarded a posthumous Silver Star on April 30, 2004, eight days after his death, the Army's account was full of stirring but phony details about how he'd been killed, even though officers already knew that he'd been killed by American troops.
*When did senior military officials learn that Tillman had been killed by fellow soldiers?
*Why did Army leaders wait more than a month, until after a nationally televised memorial service, to tell Tillman's family the truth?
The Army has conducted three investigations into Tillman's death and concluded that there was no apparent wrongdoing. According to the Pentagon, seven soldiers in Tillman's unit have been punished. Three received reprimands for failing to ''provide adequate command and control,'' and four received nonjudicial punishments for ``failure to exercise sound judgment and fire discipline.''
This is the THIRD investigation into his death.Isn't it Move-Along Time yet?
Wonder if that little ghoul Ted Rall is going to make some more hlarious comics about the situation?
Looks like the Tillman family, which has turned against "Bush's War" is looking for some lieutenant's @$$.
I've heard that in most wars up to 25% of casualties are caused by friendly fire. I remember sitting one night on a hill north of the Namo River in Vietnam, watching two patrols from Mike Company in a firefight with each other. We could tell by the color of the tracers that they were both American units. We called Mike Co. on the radio to break the news to them.
It happens...
It's gotta be damned horrible for anybody involved. I'd imagine the guilt the survivors feel is overwhelming.
I appreciate your posting this, but I think it is simply a witch hunt.
It was an accident that occurred in the heat of battle. Did a responsible party make a mistake? Yes, probably. Did they violate ROE? Yes, probably. Did they intend to do it? No. Is prosecuting someone going to prevent this type of accident from happening again? I doubt it. All it is going to do is ruin someone who is probably already ruined.
I just think it is a waste of time and counterproductive in every way. Just my opinion.
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