50 reasons not to join the military: Pat Tillman died when he was out of food and nearly out of water, stranded by a broken-down humvee that was missing a fuel pump and then ambushed. The AP just got the secret report. I believe this is the seventh investigation.
Tillman’s platoon had nearly run out of vital supplies, according to one of the shooters. They were down to the water in their CamelBak drinking pouches, and were forced to buy a goat from a local vendor. Delayed supply flights contributed to the hunger, fatigue and possibly misjudgments by platoon members.
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The mission of their “Black Sheep” platoon in April 2004 sounded straightforward: Divide a region along the Pakistan border into zones, then check each grid for insurgents and weapons. They were to clear two zones and then move deeper into Afghanistan.
But a broken-down Humvee known as a Ground Mobility Vehicle, or GMV, stalled the unit on an isolated road. A mechanic couldn’t fix it, and a fuel pump flown in on a helicopter didn’t help.
Hours passed. Enemy fighters watched invisibly, plotting their ambush.
Tillman’s platoon must have presented an inviting target. There were 39 men  including six allied Afghan fighters trained by the CIA  and about a dozen vehicles.
This is the best Donald Rumsfeld’s Pentagon could do for its most famoust “star” patriot recruit. Where were the logistics, the supplies, and the skill in equipping soldiers in the field? Dealing with convoy attacks on the road between Kuwait and Baghdad.
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