Not only did he enlist, but he was soon sent to Iraq. Ironically, one of his first missions was the "rescue" Pvt. Jessica Lynch. Lynch, the military told us, was a soldier who had been ambushed along with her squad and fought alone and to the death before finally being captured. She was rescued from an Iraqi hospital. The story, embellished and used as propaganda for the military machine, was almost a complete and utter lie.
He would go on to despise the faux rescue mission, and the military's attempt to boost recruiting through her story. Later, his attitude toward the war would continue to sour. He called it "illegal", and wrote about it constantly in his journal, all the while carrying out his duties as a soldier with respect and dignity. If only he could see how his life would parallel Lynch's in the coming months. He did see it, in some ways.
Upon his deployment to Afghanistan, Tillman became even more disillusioned but also more of a celebrity. He was the right wing's poster child for what a "real American" looks like. However, when he was suddenly and mysteriously gunned down on a lonely road surrounded by his squadmates, his stature grew even larger. The military claimed he had been gunned down bravely fighting against an ambush, defending his team. Sound familiar? It too, turned out to be a shameful lie.
All of that is what happened to Pat Tillman, but it isn't who he was. The Tillman Story is a stunning rebuke of the Bush administration and the people who exploited this true hero for their own political gain, but it's also a tribute to the man who gave up literally everything to serve his country with pride. Director Amir Bar-Lev gives us the first genuine look at what made Pat Tillman tick. Contrary to what some people called him, he wasn't a stupid jock football player. He was an avid reader, especially of the great philosophers. He was an atheist who respected the religions of others even if he didn't practice.
His family never bought the army's paper thin story from the beginning. Much of the story is dedicated to them, and the fearlessness with which they fought back against the rainbow colored news reports when their son was considered a willing martyr. Then also how his family fought against the attacks against them personally and their son when the truth about his feelings became known. They proved themselves to be heroes in their own right.
No matter what side of the ideological aisle you fall on, The Tillman Story should leave you with a quivering clenched fist of anger. It stands alongside other documenaries like Taxi to the Dark Side and Standard Operating Procedure in detailing some of the egregious errors made in the name of patriotism.
Those looking for more info and insight on The Tillman Story will want to check out the special Q & A hosted by filmmaker Michael Moore, along with actor Josh Brolin and director Amir Bar-Lev. They all have a lot to say about the making of this stirring documentary. Click here for more.
