Pat Tillman was killed in a friendly-fire incident 17 years ago.

The field-grade officer who ordered the platoon split (from many miles away) was Major David Hodne. Hodne is now Major General Hodne, Chief of Infantry.

I& #39;ve heard many good things about Hodne from men who& #39;ve served under him over the years. Still, as a non-Ranger, it& #39;s always bothered me that he ended up commanding 2/75 only a few years after Tillman& #39;s death. The very same battalion. There& #39;s something ... insular about that.

Full disclosure, I served in the 25th ID with Tillman& #39;s lieutenant, who was the highest-ranking person held responsible. (Despite desperately pushing back on the order to split up.) Guy was a professional& #39;s professional. Is still in, last I heard. Better man than I& #39;d have been.

A lot of men saw their careers and lives turned upside-down that day, Pat and Kevin Tillman only two of many. That it was so tightly contained to that one platoon - well, that& #39;s the Army, for you.

Anyhow, it& #39;s not all doom & gloom, thanks to the good folks at the Pat Tillman Foundation. Here& #39;s an essay I wrote a couple years back about them and how their good work is an enduring legacy to Tillman the man https://www.menshealth.com/trending-news/a23652508/pat-tillman-legacy/">https://www.menshealth.com/trending-...