Tillman's Mom Pushes For More Punishment

Says Pentagon Investigation Into Son's Friendly Fire Death Fails To Acknowledge "Horrific" Acts

(CBS/AP)  Pat Tillman's mother said Tuesday that her greatest disappointment in the latest investigations into her son's death in Afghanistan was that "horrific" acts by the Army Rangers who shot him were not adequately acknowledged or punished.

"How do you prevent this from happening again unless there's a serious consequence?" Mary Tillman said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The congressman who represents the area where the former NFL star grew up called for congressional hearings, echoing the family's contention that new findings released Monday were insufficient.

"While these may be the most thorough investigations to date, rather than lay to rest troubling questions regarding a personal and national tragedy, however, (Monday's) reports raise more questions than they answer," said Rep. Mike Honda, a Democrat.

Honda asked Rep. Ike Skelton, a Missouri Democrat and chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, to hold hearings and "set right an injustice." A spokeswoman for the committee said he would consider it.

"Perhaps subpoenas are necessary to elicit candor and accuracy from the military," Tillman's family said in a statement Monday night, after hearing the results of the latest probes.

After a year of investigating, the Army's Criminal Investigation Command — its version of the FBI — concluded Monday that no crime was committed by the fellow Rangers who shot Tillman in April 2004 after a chaotic ambush in Afghanistan.

Rangers in a convoy trailing Tillman's group had just emerged from a canyon where they had been fired upon. They raced out of the attack, apparently unaware that the first convoy was ahead of them. Adrenaline pumping, the soldiers saw figures standing above them on a ridge, one of them an allied Afghan fighter firing overhead to give them cover.

Tillman waved down at his comrades, trying to signal cease-fire, but the Rangers shot and killed him and the Afghan.

The Tillman family — including Pat's brother and fellow Ranger, Kevin, who was a few minutes behind Pat Tillman in the trailing convoy — pressed the military investigators who briefed them Monday on violations of the Army's rules of engagement.

For instance, all four shooters testified they had failed to identify their targets before firing, a direct violation of fire discipline techniques.

At least one of those Rangers turned his fire moments later on a village where witnesses say civilian women and children had gathered. The shooters raked it with fire, American witnesses said; they wounded two additional fellow Rangers, including their own platoon leader.

The family received no satisfactory response on their questions on rules-of-engagement violations, Mary Tillman said. The investigators simply told the Tillmans that they had found no such violations, she said.

"That was their conclusion. They wouldn't tell us how they came to that conclusion," she told AP by phone.

"We know rules of engagement were broken," she said. "There was no acknowledgment that horrific things happened out there at all levels."

The soldiers who shot at Tillman have argued it was a terrible mistake in the fog of war. The Army embraced that defense Monday, declining to seek charges of negligent homicide or aggravated assault.

"Under extreme circumstances and in a very compressed time frame, the (shooters) had a reasonable belief that death or harm was about to be inflicted on them and believed it was necessary to defend themselves," the Criminal Investigation Command concluded.

But possible punishments still hang over several high-ranking officers who are accused of botching the investigations and key administrative tasks.

Nine Army officers, including four generals, made errors in reporting the friendly fire death to their superiors and to the Tillman family, the Pentagon said. Defense officials said one or more of the officers who provided misleading information as the military investigated could be charged with a crime.

The subject of the new report's sharpest criticism was Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger, a now-retired three-star general who was in charge of Army special operations. A central issue is why the Army waited about five weeks after it suspected Tillman's death was friendly fire before telling his family.

Kensinger knew it was probably friendly fire well before telling the Tillmans, and he "provided misleading testimony" to investigators, the Defense Department acting inspector general's report said Monday.

Another general blamed in the report is Brig. Gen. Gary Jones, also now retired, who conducted the third Tillman investigation ending in 2005. The new probe found numerous shortcomings with his report.

Jones and Kensinger did not respond to e-mail and phone messages left by The Associated Press.

Mary Tillman said pinning blame on these generals deflects the true responsibility.

"We all believe these generals are just taking the fall," she said. "I just think Kensinger is being used as a scapegoat, like Gen. Jones. They're not the worst culprits; they were doing a job — and doing something to cover the hides of people up above," including then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, she said.

[tbweb]

Everyone liked Pat Tillman. Pat's death was a tragic mistake and the way the military handled Pat's death was a tragic mistake. But I think Pat would not have wanted anyone to be punished or to have their career destroyed as a result. This matter should be brought to a close and let Pat Tillman's soul rest in peace.

[tagoncalves]

With all due respect to Mrs. Tillman, she is a grieving mother out to find answers where there are none. Her son didn't deserve to die, but he chose to leave his profession in the NFL to join the Army to protect our country because he believed he had the duty to do so. He wasn't drafted. He wasn't coerced. He chose to join the Army and to go to Afghanistan. in war, friendly-fire accidents are as common (or more common) than deaths due to combat. It is unfortunate that the military lied and attempted to cover up what really happened, but now that the truth is out, she needs to stop looking for vengeance and for answers that don't exist. She needs to start healing, and get one with her life.

[frankly6]

When are the neocon airbags going to start smering Tillman's mom?

I'm sure they are winding up for the pitch now.

[socomrhawk]

They need to give the Rangers that shot Pat Tillman an eye exam. The article says that he waved them off to tell them to cease fire. But they shot anyways. Or they should have given a thourogh eye exam in boot camp! The Rangers should not be punished though. In the heat of battle and the crys of war, anything can happen. This was just an unfortunate anything to happen. Anyway, they have killed a fellow soldier and their consience is probably bugging the heck out of them. They should appologise atleast though.

[agnim]

"Tillman's Mom Pushes For More Punishment"

"Punishment" for what?
Friendly fire happens all the time.
I'm sure Tillman must have been aware of such risks.

Whatever happen to the males in this dead man's family; why don't they speak up?

This grieving female is dishonoring the guy's passing with her thirst for vengeance.
No one drafted him.
HE VOLUNTEERED for christ sake! And he wasn't murdered.

They are all (both the family and the military) unhappy mainly because the guy did not die the 'glorious' death they had hoped it to be.

Now they feel like his death was a waste.
That is the real reason they are b-itching and moaning, instead of letting the guy rest in peace.
It is such a shame how this man is being used even in death.

[jvman4u]

If the guys were HONORABLE, they'd come to the forefront, and give their SINCERE REMORSE and Condolences to Tillman's parents... I think a little public apology and "doing the right thing now" goes alot further than just hanging in the shadows and letting the Government or Military speak for them, I understand there are legal matters involved, but, D*MN it let the parents hear that they are sorry, each and every one that put a bullet into him, SAY IT to the people that need to hear it, so they can begin to heal...

[nyckate]

Poor Mrs. TIllman's problem is that she wants her son not to have been killed - and she wants someone/anyone to 'pay' for his death.

Friendly Fire is an unfortunate part of war and battles - I have no doubt that the guy(s) who accidently killed him regret it with every being of their body and soul.

It's time for her to forgive them for their terrible mistake and move on to the real grieving process.

[pghlady3]

Pat Tillman knew what might happen if he went to war. He gave the ultimate, his life. I am sorry for his family, they hould have talked him out of this. How many people were killed by frienly fire in Korea? Vitenam? WWII?WWI? TOO MANY. But you know what, when your a soldier, odds are you will die in war, and this is what is instilled in you from your first day in boot camp, and every day after. They should be proud of him.

[iiffv]

Guess she wants a bucket of blood and the dead body of the person that pulled the trigger (s).That way she will have another mother griving which will make things better..SAD
Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 11:58 AM : Mar 28, 2007

Apparently, you believe she is looking to punish those involved in the incident as opposed to those involved in the lies told to the family from the get go. Is that correct? That's sad, indeed!

[iiffv]

How much more punishment can you give someone that has taken another's life? These men have to live with the fact everyday they're alive that they killed a comrad in arms.
If you're in a fight, do you make that person stop fighting to ask them if they have a gun or something that can seriously injure you? I think not.
These men had just come out of a canyon and being fired upon, and you expect them to KNOW, that the people waving to them don't have a bomb strapped to them, or are only wanting them closer to kill.
I'm not saying the military is right for what they did, but lets have some commen sense here.
Ask yourself, if I just came out of a hole where I was being fired upon, are you going to stop and ask for directions? Or are you going to do defend yourself?
Posted by anonbychoice at 11:54 AM : Mar 28, 2007

It's not the incident, it's the cover-up of the incident that is being questioned.

[anonbychoice]

How much more punishment can you give someone that has taken another's life? These men have to live with the fact everyday they're alive that they killed a comrad in arms.
If you're in a fight, do you make that person stop fighting to ask them if they have a gun or something that can seriously injure you? I think not.
These men had just come out of a canyon and being fired upon, and you expect them to KNOW, that the people waving to them don't have a bomb strapped to them, or are only wanting them closer to kill.
I'm not saying the military is right for what they did, but lets have some commen sense here.
Ask yourself, if I just came out of a hole where I was being fired upon, are you going to stop and ask for directions? Or are you going to do defend yourself?

[vancouverboo]

Mrs. Tillman, perhaps cowboyism is part of the Ranger SOP. Like Bushism. Well, Mrs. Tillman, the chickens do come home to roost, and your Ranger son, perhaps, got what the Rangers like to dole out.

[iiffv]

She has taken her son from being a hero to some one that didn't have the sense to stay out of the line of fire.

SHE did that? She made this whole affair occur by wanting to know the truth?

CYA as always, CYA.

[lwilli201]

May lives have been changed and careers ruined. Sounds like this women will not be satified untill someone is put against a wall and shot. She is making a political statement about the war with out having to come right out and saying it. She has taken her son from being a hero to some one that didn't have the sense to stay out of the line of fire. Now she wants revenge.

He believed he needed to go. His mother obviously did not want him to go. She will forever tarnish his patriotism.

US Army Retired

[mike71067]

This type of thing occurs in combat. War is terrible, and tragedies will take place, because soldiers are human beings.

That said, although I feel bad for the Tillman family, I'm starting to grow sick and tired of Ms. Tillman. It's starting to sound like the surviving family members of airline crash victims. You feel bad at first, but then when they constantly push for millions in lawsuits, your sympathy begins to erode. Ms. Tillman is becoming one of those. You feel bad for her, but she needs to realize that war is hell, combat is absolutely crazy, and we're all human.

[antoniof123]

It is not a matter of dying under friendly fire it is the point of being lied too. That is all this bunch have been doing for so long. I for one want a punishment to fit this time. I think most of America does too. Maybe we should bring it to a vote across America and if found guilty by majority put them on the fast lane out of the country.

[iiffv]

anonbychoice,,,Bin Laden will own up to his actions in a heartbeat and smile while doing so! That is not relevant. Friendly fire is bad enough, the cover-up and lies told to this family are what is un-concienable. The Army needs to justify it's actions.

[anonbychoice]

Im sorry for your loss. May God be with you in your time of sorrow.
With that being said, I don't think ANYone's blurb is OFF base. This is WAR. No one held a gun to this man's head and told him to join or else. He joined because he wanted to. Because it's his GOD given right as an American citizen to. And probably because he wanted to serve his country, and keep YOU and your's safe at night grumpas. While I don't "condone" this war, I know when my son goes to Kuwait at the end of April, he's doing it for his country and his family. If I were wanting to "point" fingers and place blame, I blame Bin Laden, and whomever else was involved in the deaths of so many innocents on September 11, 2001. I haven't forgotten....and sadly TOO many have.

[gkc99]

weywmtb:

You are just full of it. How dare you instruct the mother of a dead soldier what to do, when the military brass lied to her again and again? If you were ever in combat, and lost a friend or a relative, you grieve how you see fit, and just kindly shut up about other people!

Military work on corrective actions?--you must be joking. They are already busy explaining why the can't prosecute the guilty general who was reportedly the biggest of the liars, because he has "left the service", no doubt with a nice fat taxpayer supported pension.

[iiffv]

You have been told how he died %u201Cwith honor%u201D it%u2019s time now to stop pointing fingers and let the military work on their corrective actions.
Posted by weywmtb at 09:47 AM : Mar 28, 2007

Yes,,,she's been told a number of times what the story is. As far as the Army taking corrective actions? Is that humor?