Retired Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger will reportedly be demoted and reprimanded for his role in the Tillman case. According to the Washington Post
Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger, who headed Army special operations, is one of six high-ranking Army officers expected to get official reprimands for making critical errors in reporting the circumstances of Tillman's purported friendly-fire shooting in Afghanistan in April 2004.
It's about time. If true, this appears to be the first time we are seeing senior officials held accountable for any misdeeds in Iraq or Afghanistan rather than just enlisted men.
The Tillman family has been the moving force in all of this. The grief they felt at the loss of a son was turned to rage when they discovered his death had not only been caused by fratricide, but that those circumstances were concealed by the Army.
Update Here is a link to the AP story that I heard about on Olberman. The article says that in the investigative report a doctor raised questions about the need for a criminal investigation and was rebuffed. Other soldiers were asked if Tillman had enemies and the apparent answers were negative. Congress will be investigating further. In comments below I was skeptical that he would be killed intentionally. I'm a little less skeptical now, but there are still way to many unanswered questions about this scenario.
The Tillman case was one of the most blatant efforts by the military to create false propaganda to boost the war effort at the expense of our soldiers in battle. The circumstances of his death were not just concealed but he was awarded a Silver Star based on a totally fabricated account of what transpired.
There will be apparently be ten officers receiving some type of punishment. Nine were initially identified in the Army's investigation and a tenth, the one responsible for awarding Tillman's silver star, was added by the reviewing officer.
two investigative reports found that Army officers provided misleading and inaccurate information about Tillman's death. A central issue in the case has been why the Army waited about five weeks after it suspected the former NFL star's death was caused by friendly fire before telling his family.
The probes found that nine officers -- including four generals -- were at fault in providing the bad information and should be held accountable. But the reports determined that there was no criminal wrongdoing in the actual shooting, and that there was no deliberate cover-up.
Brig. Gen. Gina Farrisee, who is director of military personnel management at the Pentagon, is expected to receive a letter of punishment for her involvement in the oversight of the awarding of Tillman's Silver Star.
While we are seeing some accountability it is curious indeed that there was no finding of a deliberate cover-up. I'll hold judgement till I see the report but this sounds like another half measure.
Pat Tillman was a patriot who deserved respect from the Army and nation he served, a respect that can only come from truth. May he rest in peace