Staff Reports
Republicans are sharpening their knives and focusing their attention on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s military claims, specifically his adventurous tales of battle and service during his time with the Army National Guard. The scrutiny comes particularly from Walz, who has recently found himself linked to Vice President Kamala Harris as a potential running mate. Talk about some interesting dinner party conversations!
Walz, whose military career spanned a relatively comfy 24 years, resigned in 2005, when his battalion was gearing up for a deployment to Iraq. Timing is everything, and in this case, it seems Walz’s timing was impeccable for him but less so for his fellow soldiers. Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, himself a Marine veteran, pulled no punches when assessing Walz’s choice to exit stage left just as the curtains were about to rise on a dangerous act. Vance pointed out that abandoning his fellow soldiers at such a critical juncture raised eyebrows and left plenty of questions about Walz’s commitment to his unit.
Walz's military record questioned after comments about serving in war – https://t.co/EkPARXgWrz – @washtimes
— Kerry Picket (@KerryPicket) August 8, 2024
In an attempt to shine Walz’s military image, the Harris campaign recently shared a feel-good video featuring him talking about his experiences with guns, firearms training, and all the macho stuff that video editors love to splice together. However, the campaign found itself in damage control mode shortly after, needing to clarify that Walz had “once served” at the rank of command sergeant major rather than being a retired command sergeant major. It turns out that the truth isn’t always so glamorous; his retirement as a master sergeant was due to not completing the necessary coursework, which certainly doesn’t add up to a decorated military career.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, no stranger to lofty rhetoric, leaped to Walz’s defense, claiming that the GOP’s critiques were merely a smokescreen to distract from their unpopular policies, including tax cuts for the wealthy and restrictions on abortion. It’s almost refreshing to see politicians stooping to the same old tactics as if they believe voters have the attention spans of goldfish.
The history of Walz’s military service is muddied, with allegations of “stolen valor” surfacing as early as his congressional run. Some of his former comrades-in-arms have accused him of embellishing and omitting crucial details regarding his service for political gain. A retired command sergeant major from the Minnesota National Guard, for instance, made clear that Walz left his battalion high and dry just as they were being prepped for combat. Nothing says “trustworthy leader” quite like that, eh?
With a track record of dodging real battlefield experience, critics further emphasize that while Walz may have trained with an M-16 rifle, his assertions of carrying it “in war” are fundamentally flawed. The Minnesota National Guard confirmed that while Walz’s battalion deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, he wasn’t stationed anywhere near the frontline, instead hanging out in Italy. In contrast, others were sent into harm’s way. This lacks the cinematic, dramatic flair one might expect from someone claiming to be a war hero and raises the obvious question—how can someone who never saw combat keep spinning tales about close encounters with danger?
