Army Still Trips Over Cover-Up

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Posted by Military.com) ^ | March 16, 2006 | Atlanta Journal-Constitution

[Tulsa Ramjet]

The honor code is carved into stone at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point:

"A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."

The words express the integrity expected of those who lead our men and women into battle, and they have a purpose: Officers who cannot be trusted have no place in positions of responsibility, not when the consequences of such a character flaw can be death, not when the American people put such confidence in those in uniform.

But somehow, it is hard to square that admirable code of honor with the Army's behavior in the Pat Tillman case. It is not merely individual officers --- from lowly captains to three-star generals --- who apparently failed to tell the truth about what happened to the former NFL star in the hills of Afghanistan. The deception is so broad that it implicates the Army as an institution.

Tillman's story is heartbreaking. After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, he rejected a $3.6 million contract from the NFL's Arizona Cardinals to enlist, along with his brother, as an Army Ranger. And while his decision drew widespread media attention, Tillman refused all interview requests. To him, it wasn't about the spotlight, it was about doing his duty.

But on April 22, 2004, Tillman was killed while on patrol with his unit near the Pakistan border. Immediately, the Army put out the word that he had died heroically, protecting his fellow soldiers in a firefight.

A week later, Lt. Gen. John Abizaid, the head of U.S. Central Command, told the press that a day earlier he had discussed "that firefight where Pat Tillman lost his life" with Tillman's platoon leader.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"On April 30, the Army posthumously awarded Tillman the Silver Star for bravery, stating that Tillman died in a heroic charge up an enemy-held hill. "Corporal Tillman put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire. . . . While mortally wounded, his audacious leadership and courageous example under fire inspired his men to fight with great risk to their own personal safety, resulting in the enemy's withdrawal and his platoon's safe passage from the ambush kill zone."

The truth, though, was that Tillman had been killed by three bullets to the forehead fired by American soldiers in a friendly fire accident, and Army officials knew it immediately. Officers on the scene knew it, which may be why they ordered that Tillman's body armor and uniform be burned. Abizaid knew it when he made those comments to the press a week after Tillman's death. The officers who drafted the false Silver Star citation knew it, too.

The truth, or at least some version of it, finally began to emerge on May 28, 2004. It's unlikely the concession came voluntarily, given the elaborate lies the Army had spread earlier. Army officials probably realized that the jig was up, that too many people knew the facts. Tillman's brother, for example, had been nearby when Tillman died, although he, too, had been lied to about what happened."

I know it is the AJC reporting on this, but it was posted in Military.com. Bottom line is this, if Lt. Gen. John Abizaid knew of a cover up, he needs to be removed, along with the other officers. One man's lie is not worth creating hypocrisy in the military. We have many capable military leaders in place that can step in immediately. Many that wouldn't play a part in such a farce, if true. Such an award must be approved high up in the chain of command. Friendly fire happens. Why cover it up. Look at the aftermath.

[leadpenny]

"The truth, though, was that Tillman had been killed by three bullets to the forehead . . ."

I've seen that posted but how do you know it as fact?

[Zenith]

It would be GREAT if the AJC and all the Media does what the CODE for Servicemen and Women says !!!!

[highball]

I think somebody panicked, and thought that Tillman's death would somehow look bad in the media. He was a high-profile soldier, a good story, and they didn't want that story tainted with something as messy and doubly tragic as friendly fire. Doesn't make for good PR.

But they shouldn't have covered it up. They should have told the truth, let the media scream for a couple weeks, and it would have blown over. Instead, they've given the media a legitimate excuse to re-hash this again and again and again.

It's always the cover-up that gets you....

[leadpenny]

I mistook that as your comment and now I see it came from the AJC.

[leadpenny]

I'll bite, what are you referring to?

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"But they shouldn't have covered it up. They should have told the truth, let the media scream for a couple weeks, and it would have blown over."

You are so on. What happened to him does not in an infinitesimal sense detract from the fact he gave his life serving his country in one of the noblest causes: Freeing 50 million people.

[jamaksin]

From page 193 of Chapter 10, entitled "It Was Customary and Expected" ...

" ... I'll discuss the legal ramifications of the question later on. What I want to point out here is that by focusing on Marshall's whereabouts on the evening of December 6, Congress missed the real issue: Marshall had ordered his subordinates to lie to the Army Board, and they had complied. ..."

Pearl Harbor: Final Judgement by Henry C. Clausen and Bruce Lee, Da Capo Press, 1992.

So much for: Duty, Honor, Country.

[SR 50]

There's more to this story that has not been releases. Many times the Army tries to make a war time death, especially a friendly fire death, as easy as possible on the family.

If there was a cover up, that's bad business. If Tillman was at fault or did something stupid then that's a different story.

[highball]

What happened to him does not in an infinitesimal sense detract from the fact he gave his life serving his country in one of the noblest causes

Of course not. But by covering it up, that's exactly the message that they were saying. It's disgusting.

[cookcounty]

" "On April 30, the Army posthumously awarded Tillman the Silver Star for bravery, stating that Tillman died in a heroic charge up an enemy-held hill. "Corporal Tillman put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire. . . . While mortally wounded, his audacious leadership and courageous example under fire inspired his men to fight with great risk to their own personal safety, resulting in the enemy's withdrawal and his platoon's safe passage from the ambush kill zone."

The truth, though, was that Tillman had been killed by three bullets to the forehead fired by American soldiers in a friendly fire ....

Enquiring minds want to know.......exactly how is the first paragraph contradicted by the sentence that follows?

[VRWCmember]

It would be GREAT if the AJC and all the Media does what the CODE for Servicemen and Women says !!!!

I'll bite, what are you referring to?

My guess is the reference is to this:

The honor code is carved into stone at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point:

"A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."

[Yasotay]

I have personally talked with then Major John Abizaid about his first combat experience. His Ranger Company lost a "Gun Jeep" after it got lost and ambushed by Cubans. He didn't lie to me about that incident and I doubt if he knew about any cover-up with Tillman. Abizaid had / has far bigger issues then Tillman. The punishments that I remember occurring to the Chain of Command are greater then most friendly fire incidents. While that might not be enough, Abizaid would not have been involved .... the LT ....was sacked .... the CO hammered ..... I don't know what if anything happened to the S-3/BC or Regimental Commander. If I remember correctly the gunner and vehicle commander got Article 15s.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"Corporal Tillman put himself in the line of devastating enemy fire"

You are right, but there is the implication that the enemy did it. Why most citations are pretty general on what occurred, there is specific "meat" that typically accompanies the write up. You shouldn't have to interpret parsed words and push the rhetoric envelope to understand what happened.

[robowombat]

Just pragmatically it is incredible why this coverup was propagated up the chain of command. Those who started it couldn't have been very senior. I suppose it was one of those things that grew legs fast because of command attention to things like op tempo and other operational or high level administrative matters and this just slid along under the radar. Unfortunately it will now come back to haunt all who passed it on and be damaging to the Army, the conduct of the GWOT, and the administration.

[jim35]

OK, they lied. So what? It isn't like they sullied his honor, or did harm to his reputation. They made him out to be a hero, when in fact he died in an accident. That's good for everyone all around, as long as the truth never gets out about the story being made-up. This could have been a great propaganda victory for us, and a major boost to morale, and maybe even a good recruiting tool; and noone would have been hurt. It's just too bad someone had to spill the beans. Now it's a scandal. Thank heavens somebody spilled the truth, so we can go forward with our standard media spin of how terrible our military brass is, along with stabs from our own side, simultaneously.

[leadpenny]

Could be. Thanks.

[DeaconRed]

Something smells to the high heavens here.
The Rangers are an elite group and have a history of taking care of their own at all cost. When something like this comes up their must be more to this.
The rest of the story if you will.
What really make me wonder is that Mr. Tillman was originally give a medal and his heroics were written by officers.
Lets hope we get the whole truth even if it is ugly.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"I doubt if he knew about any cover-up with Tillman. Abizaid had / has far bigger issues then Tillman."

I hope you are right. It is true that most senior commanders have to rely on their staff to vet these things. They just don't have the time. And when a write up comes up saying a soldier was a hero and it has immediate and senior officers signatures on it, he has to trust them.

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"OK, they lied. So what?"

You've never been in the military. And if you have, or are, you are part of the problem and have no foundation for ethics or morality. You probably didn't even go to church this past Sunday, and if you did, you are a hyprocrit. The question is 'why lie?' Who cares? His family deserves the truth. Just like the families with members missing in vietnam. unbelievable.