Officer reprimands for Tillman death offer mild criticism, some PRAISE

CNN/AP: Officer reprimands for Tillman death offer mild criticism, some praise

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Official reprimands issued to three high-ranking Army officers are only mildly critical of their mistakes after the friendly fire death of Pat Tillman and at times praise the officers.

The Army also said it would not include the reprimands in the officers' military records, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.

Tillman's direct superiors knew within hours of his April 2004 death in Afghanistan that the former football star had been killed by fellow Army Rangers, but the truth was kept from the public and Tillman's family for five weeks -- in direct violation of Army regulations.

"You should not consider this as an adverse action," letters to the officers say. "This document will not be filed in any system of records maintained by the Army."

Tillman's death attracted widespread attention because he had turned down an NFL contract with the Arizona Cardinals to join the military after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Subsequent investigations into his death and congressional hearings raised questions both about the circumstances of his death and the immediate follow-up....

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Some of the details that emerged after Tillman's death included that he was close enough to see the men shooting at him when he was killed; his uniform was burned after his death; medical examiners' suspicions about the bullet holes in his head were ignored; and comrades were also ordered not to discuss his death....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/10/tillman.friendlyfire.ap/index.html

.. in the face of Tillman's family.

"We don't really care that you did this, good job, this reprimand will fade into thin air in a couple of days"/