European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 28, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6 stars and strip e s wednesday March 282nn Dod errors no wrongdoing in Tillman death stripes and wire reports Washington the military has found no criminal wrongdoing in the Friendly fire death of army Ranger Pat Tillman in Afghanistan but says there were critical errors in re porting the former professional football stars death and failing to provide details to his family Tillmans death has been ruled accidental said Brig Gen Rod Ney l Johnson of us army criminal investigative com Mand or Cid Johnson gave reporters a blow blow account of How Tillman came under fire from us troops after Tillman came to the Aid of members of his platoon who were ambushed a Cid investigation into Tillmans death found that the squad Leader in the vehicle from which troops opened fire on Tillman honestly and reason ably believed he was taking hos tile fire Johnson said As a Soldier he has a Legal duty to engage the enemy Johnson said he was not negligent in engaging Corporal Tillmans position a reasonable Soldier would have concluded he was under fire and acted As he did also monday army and de sense department investigators said that officers looking into the army Ranger Cpl Pat Tillman incident passed along misleading and inaccurate information and delayed reporting their belief that Tillman was killed by fellow soldiers 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 Tillmans regimental com Mander specifically retired it Gen Phillip Kensinger then head of army special operations com Mand told investigators under oath that he had no indications that Tillmans death might have been Friendly fire before Tillmans memorial service when evidence suggests otherwise said defense department acting inspector Gen eral Thomas f Gimble the army is now reviewing the matter Gimble said asked if Kensinger could be charged with making a false state ment Gimble replied i speculate on that but absolutely whatever the army decides to do they will do the investigation also recommended that the army review its award of the Silver Star to Tillman Gimble said some information provided to justify the Cita Tion was inaccurate after Gimble spoke acting army Secretary Peter Geren said a review has recommended that Tillman should keep his Silver Star Corporal Tillman died while risking his life to come to the Aid of his comrades Geren said he died a hero his Silver Star stands his citation will be re Vised to reflect his actions and the circumstances of that Day the highest current ranking officer blamed in the incident is it Gen Stanley Mcchrystal com Mander of the joint special operations command investigators said he was accountable for the inaccurate and misleading Asser Haraz n copies of the recent investigation into the death of army Ranger Cpl Pat Tiuman Are seen monday following a news conference at the Pentagon tons contained in the papers recommending that Tillman get the Silver Star but investigators said there was no Broad coverup we thought there was never an at tempt to cover up what we saw Gimble said the conclusions were de scribed by army investigators As they released a pair of reports into Tillmans 2004 death the military initially told the Public and Tillmans family that the death had occurred during an am Bush in a Remote part of Afghani Stan but did not say it was caused by members of his own unit Tillmans death received world wide attention because he had walked away from a huge professional football contract with the Arizona cardinals to enlist in the army after the terrorist attacks of sept 112001 stripes reporter Jeff Schogol contributed to this report from the Pentagon v r j f 14th annual open is Jim s base off psf jew Jar or visit j v Kosanko Park food toys and f 4 Vidt str offt the City kofi3rurnnjers Kimono Nancei Fenics the Ems of band bring the family to enjoy the festival and tradition friends
