Staff Reports
Concerns surrounding the military service record of Governor Tim Walz have surfaced since his selection as Kamala Harris’ running mate, and they are raising eyebrows, not to mention questions about his credibility. Serving in the National Guard for 24 years is no small feat, but Walz’s narrative about his retirement and rank appears riddled with contradictions. Reports indicate that a number of his fellow service members have been quietly voicing their discontent for years, and it might be time for him to set the record straight—or at least stop coloring it with some creative embellishments.
The issue came to light when Thomas Behrends, who took over Walz’s battalion post-retirement, sent a private letter back in 2016 imploring him to stop claiming the title of Command Sergeant Major, a rank he apparently hadn’t truly earned. The governor’s decision to retire just before a deployment to Iraq clearly irked many in his former unit. Behrends divulged that Walz’s departure felt like “one of their main senior leaders had died.” This statement may paint a darker picture than a bad breakup, but it does suggest that Walz’s actions left a gaping hole in the ranks—one that he later chose to fill with fancy titles.
.@wsteaks and @OliviaRubinABC report that in 2016, Thomas Behrends, who took over Walz's battalion after Walz retired from military service in 2005, penned a private letter to Walz imploring him to stop using the title of Command Sergeant Major.
"It saddens me that after your…
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) August 15, 2024
Military records indicate that while Walz did hold a Command Sergeant Major title, he didn’t stick around long enough in that position to bear it with pride upon retirement. He certainly seemed to have no problems hurling the title around for political gain, despite the fact that peers were less than amused at this perceived misrepresentation. To back up this claim, John Kolb, a former battalion commander of Walz’s unit, didn’t mince words on social media, accusing Walz of grasping onto a rank he didn’t actually earn. One would think that anyone seeking political office would want to avoid such a messy web of deception, but Walz seems content to dance along it.
The governor’s campaign team, in a clumsy attempt at damage control, tried to downplay the growing backlash by asserting that Walz “misspoke” about his military service in a clip that raised eyebrows and ire alike. J.D. Vance, a Republican senator and fellow veteran, joined the chorus in calling out Walz’s misrepresentations. It seems strange that politicians can’t grasp the concept of honesty—one would think it’s a prerequisite for publicly serving the people, especially as a commander in chief.
FLASHBACK: Tim Walz thanked Nancy Pelosi at a press conference in 2007 in which she said while introducing him that "we appreciate his service on the battlefield."
CSPAN then identified Walz as an "Afghanistan veteran." pic.twitter.com/6HaKNyfKsf
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 9, 2024
Walz isn’t just accused of misrepresenting his military standing. His campaign website also faced scrutiny after initially claiming he was a “retired Command Sergeant Major” and later changing it to state he “served as a Command Sergeant Major.” It’s almost as if they were attempting to cover their tracks, but good luck hiding those footprints in the mud of the Internet’s cache. Talk about a malfunctioning PR strategy.
When Walz addressed the public during his first solo appearance post-nomination, his attempts to assert pride in his service and deflect the criticisms about his military background fell flat. It’s not hard to feel pride for legitimate accomplishments, but when a politician’s claims of service are seemingly built on shaky ground, that pride might come off more as a facade to distract from glaring inconsistencies. In a political climate where accountability and transparency are in high demand, Walz’s tale seems more suited for a poorly written soap opera than a credible campaign for office.
