Tillman Probe: No Criminal Negligence

(CBS/AP)  High-ranking Army officers made critical errors in reporting the friendly fire death of Army Ranger Pat Tillman in Afghanistan, but there was no criminal wrongdoing in the shooting of the former NFL star by fellow soldiers, the military concluded Monday.

Army and Defense Department investigators said that officers looking into the incident passed along misleading and inaccurate information and delayed reporting their belief that Tillman was killed by fellow Rangers. The investigators recommended the Army take action against the officers. Among those blamed were the three-star general in charge of Army special operations as well as Tillman's regimental commander.

In its rush to honor the high profile NFL hero, the Army failed miserably in telling Tillman's family the truth, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. The Army waited 35 days to tell the family the truth, leaving Tillman's father in the dark at a nationally televised memorial service.

The investigation also recommended that the Army review its award of the Silver Star to Tillman, but the acting Secretary of the Army, Pete Geren, said the award would stand. Defense Department Acting Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble said some information provided to justify the citation was inaccurate.

The highest-ranking current officer blamed in the incident is Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. Investigators said he was "accountable for the inaccurate and misleading assertions" contained in the papers recommending that Tillman get the Silver Star.

But investigators said there was no broad cover-up. "We thought there was never an attempt to cover up that we saw," Gimble said.

The conclusions were described by Army investigators as they released a pair of reports into Tillman's 2004 killing. The military initially told the public and Tillman's family that the death had occurred during an ambush in a remote part of Afghanistan but did not say it was caused by members of his own unit.

"We as an Army failed in our duty to the Tillman family, the duty we owe to all the families of our fallen soldiers: Give them the truth, the best we know it, as fast as we can," Geren said. "Our failure in fulfilling this duty brought discredit to the Army and compounded the grief suffered by the Tillman family. For that, on behalf of the Army, I apologize to the Tillman family."

The Army, he said, will take corrective action and hold people accountable.

He said he had accepted the recommendation of an Army board that Tillman's Silver Star award be affirmed, even though some information submitted in support of it was inaccurate. "The Silver Star stands," Geren said. He added that the citation would be rewritten to correct inaccuracies.

[feelfree1]

Re: "No Criminal Negligence"

Sounds like the Republicans have a new campaign slogan!

[harp1963]

The whole thing is a tragedy. I've always wondered if it was accidental and what Tillman was like as a person. He appears to have severe "steroid jaw." A condition that happens and makes the jaw straight and chiseled looking when a person uses tons of steroids. If he did use massive amounts of steroids, as he appears to have in my opinion; was he a bully that physically threatened others? I've known a lot of steroid freaks playing organized sports for over 20 years and many of them push the physically threatening behavior to the limit. I don't know this guy from the man on the moon. He may be the nicest guy in the world. Regardless, no one should die from friendly fire.

[acauble1]

Praying to God only comforts so much.

The loss of your own son (or daughter) is a permanent loss.

As some of the family members from the 9/11/01 tragedy said, you never 'get over' the loss of someone you deeply cared for... you just move on with your own life trying to cope with the loss on a daily basis.

Most of these 9/11 families professed their belief in God, but clearly, that doesn't bring back the one(s) they love.

[truthword]

Would the same folks that blew up the WTC to start 2 bogus wars wars for massive profit, against 2 countries that never did anything to us purposefully kill one man Pat Tillman to use his death as a recruiting tool in order to get thousands more to enlist to fight in their bogus wars? I think they would.

[calabashe]

Today's briefing says a military representative attending the memorial service had information that Pat may have be killed by friendly fire. The Tillmans were not told of such a thing for almost another month. IMHO, that's criminal or at least very cruel.

See? No religious refference needed.

[coffeehead-2009]

what do you want to "bring" up?
There is so much "ignorance" to go around that picking one of multiple sick lies, insults, blame throwing - well I just found this one very "telling" of this "religious" oriented military. And tillman's brother was the one who the military identified as saying "no" to bringing in a pastor or priest -
Kauzlarich made sure in the interview to villify the bro. also.

Reread your posting...

You suggest the Tillmans might only be bitter people without a source of spiritual comfort. Such couldn't be farther from fact.

I answered your question... and I "suggested" nothing - comprehension counts!!!

[calabashe]

I am familiar with the story, obvious ignorance as far as I am concerned. Why give it credence by bringing it up?

Why not mention the comments of the youngest brother made just days after he lost his big brother and best friend?

With that, I'm with Mr. Pat, "Get over it!"

[coffeehead-2009]

That's exactly what i said ---
Unfortunately I haven't been granted an espn interview.....

seems the "military" man feels differently.


But in the meantime, a recent ESPN.com exposi by Mike Fish aired an interview with Kauzlarich, who was the %u201Ccross commander%u201D of the Rangers in Khoust, Afghanistan, in April 2004. Kauzlarich, in a stunning display of Christian empathy, blamed the family for continuing to ask questions about the circumstances of Pat%u2019s death, and suggested that the reason they%u2019d found no closure was that infidels such as themselves (the Tillmans did not belong to a church), when they die, are only %u201Cworm dirt.%u201D

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060728_worm_dirt/

[calabashe]

To Coffeehead

I don't understand your refference to religious affliation. What difference is it if one belives one way or another when it comes to the truth of a loved one's sacrfice?

You suggest the Tillmans might only be bitter people without a source of spiritual comfort. Such couldn't be farther from fact.

One suggests one research fact before offering an observsation of personal dogma.

Pat Tillman was/is a man with a beautiful soul. Who you try to discribe doesn't exist, as far as I know.

[middleman8]

He volentered to go over to Iraq to kill and be killed,so, whats the big deal?