National Guard Disputes Tim Walz's Military Biography
By: Katherine Fung (Newsweek)
Well, we've found out that Tim Walz has closets. Do we dare find out what's in 'em?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The Minnesota National Guard is disputing Governor Tim Walz's military biography, saying that the Democratic vice presidential candidate did not hold the rank of command sergeant major at the time of his retirement.
Army Lieutenant Colonel Kristen Auge, the state public affairs officer for Minnesota National Guard, told Just the News on Wednesday that the governor did not retire as "Command Sergeant Major Walz" in 2005, as stated on Minnesota's official website, but as master sergeant "because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy." A soldier who does not complete the requisite coursework is automatically demoted, according to Army regulations.
The National Guard's statement comes a day after Vice President Kamala Harris revealed that she picked Walz as her running mate and the two made their debut as the Democratic ticket on Tuesday at a rally in Philadelphia.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz listens during a press conference on August 1 in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Minnesota National Guard disputed Walz's biography, saying he was demoted before his retirement in 2005.Minnesota Governor Tim Walz listens during a press conference on August 1 in Bloomington, Minnesota. The Minnesota National Guard disputed Walz's biography, saying he was demoted before his retirement in 2005.Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Newsweek reached out to Walz's office via email for comment.
It is not the first time that Walz has faced scrutiny over his military background.
When he first ran for governor in 2018, two retired senior officials with the Minnesota National Guard wrote an open letter criticizing Walz for retiring shortly before his battalion was to set for an active-duty deployment in Iraq, quitting months after they were ordered to mobilize and "leaving the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion and its Soldiers hanging."
"He had the opportunity to serve his country, and said 'Screw you' to the United States. That's not who I would pick to run for vice president," Thomas Behrends, one of the retired officials who signed the letter, told the New York Post on Tuesday.
Walz's counterpart, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, an Ohio senator, took aim at the Walz over his departure Wednesday, saying: "When the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it."
"When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did?" Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, said at a press conference. "He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him, a fact that he's been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people that he served with. I think it's shameful."
On Wednesday, Auge said Walz served in the Minnesota National Guard from April 8, 1981, to May 16, 2005, after transferring from the Nebraska National Guard.
"While serving in Minnesota," she said, "his military occupational specialties were 13B—a cannon crewmember who operates and maintains cannons—and 13Z—field artillery senior sergeant," she said.
"In Nebraska, he served as a 11Z—infantry senior sergeant—and a 71L—administrative specialist. He held multiple positions within field artillery such as firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant and culminated his career serving as the command sergeant major for the battalion.
"He retired as a master sergeant in 2005."
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The battle by the press to define Tim Walz has begun. The countdown stands at T minus 10 and counting. Will it be a launch or a flame out?
I don't think Tampon Timmy's rocket is going to achieve orbit. Quitting his unit to avoid shipping out was kind of a cowardly thing to do.
And supporting the castration of kids in the name of "gender care" is going to put a downer on his ascension.
It's almost like you saw someone say this, then ran here to use it.
Who in their right mind would deny teenage girls fem hygiene supplies?
The order to ship out came 2 months after he retired. Quit lying.
How does putting female supplies in male bathrooms deny any girl supplies?
o ship out came 2 months after he retired. Quit lying.
He quit after receiving the warning order.
Quit lying
When he first ran for governor in 2018, two retired senior officials with the Minnesota National Guard wrote an open letter criticizing Walz for retiring shortly before his battalion was to set for an active-duty deployment in Iraq, quitting months after they were ordered to mobilize and "leaving the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion and its Soldiers hanging."
Kinda missed this eh?
Nope.. Sorry, not true. And JD is stolen valor.
We are talking 4th grade BOYS restrooms FFS
Guess they could come in handy for a bloody nose................
Walz reenlisted on 18 Sep 2001 for 6 years.
In 2003 he was selected to attend the Army Sergeants Major Academy. The non-resident course consists of two years of correspondence coursework, followed by a two-week resident phase at Fort Bliss, Texas. When a NCO accepts enrollment in the course, they accept a stipulation that they will serve for two years after graduation from the academy, or promotion to Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major, whichever is later.
The 1-125th FA BN, his unit, received a warning early 2005, to prepare to be mobilized for active duty for a deployment to Iraq. After receiving the order, he quit on16 May 16th, 2005, 16 months before his enlistment was up. The 1-125 deployed to Iraq in 2006 without its acting Cmd Sgt Maj.
Is it as cowardly as claiming to have bone spurs?
The guys that served with him disagree.
Or a student deferment or asthma as a teen? Even though a lifeguard and on the football team?
Is there ever an article that doesn't end with a but but but Trump comment?
Rare animal there.
Kotex Maxi Pads make good Emergency Trauma Dressings.
The records DO agree.
Source?
What proof do you have for that claim?
Just like Timpon
Yes. They show he got notification of future deployment and then he quite. Glad we agree
No, only one MAGA weirdo...
Trump never claimed that, the doctors said he had bone spurs and was ineligible to serve.
How so?
going to laugh at me ,
as a hunter i get the cheap dollar store tampons , use them as scent wicks when im stand hunting scrapes , they come with a built in string to tie to tree branches , and once unfolded , they hold a lot of scent ,
they are also bio degradable so no need getting stinky trying to clean up after the hunt .
the scentwicks sold in sporting goods stores are like $10 for maybe 5 of them , tampons are like 20 for a buck .
What’s Biden’s excuse? Or Obama’s? Or the Clintons? Shall I go on?
None
That’s too much, they should be government provided for free.
As a longtime paramedic, have to agree with you on that.
Sometimes you actually make sense.
Wrong…. The order came out 2 months after he filed to run for Congress. He was still in the NG. A good patriot would have completed what his contract stated then retire with credibility.
I applaud him for his 24 years, but to puss out on possibly deploying is a cowardly thing to do.
He broke the faith with his troops.
Not fit for command ….
He retired after 24 years because he was running for Congress!
Yes, that is what the uniformed might think but no. He did not complete the commitment he made to his comrades in the Guard. And for arguably questionable reasons
He broke the faith, he’s not fit for command.
Meanwhile, I’m waiting for a couple of the people he served with to come out and defend him. I’m sure they are combing his old units staffing lists, looking for a couple folks simpatico with his dilemma. It’s coming I promise you that.
Then we’ll hear, see he’s a great guy, from all my friends on left here but sorry. Won’t change a thing. He broke the faith. Nothing can change that now.
Hypocrisy with right wingers is the easiest thing to prove when you use Trump as a comparison.
Why do write with hypocrisy when you judge the recipient to be right wing? BTW, you used Trump as a comparison but left out Biden’s draft dodge.
.... and there'a much hurricane rain headed for Philly.
So no
Why would I use a democrat to showcase right wing hypocrisy?
Because they are so much better at it?
Better at showcasing right wing hypocrisy? You are correct, they are.
They are absolutely experts at hypocrisy, I was for it before i was against it is a classic. Democrats are masters who like to showcase how inept republicans are at it.
That's they see it exampled by right wingers so often.
Suggest you look up the definition of hypocrisy because that's not it. That's called "changing your mind".
Right wingers on the other hand show it when they are both opposed to it and for it, at the same time.
Tim is a great guy.
He sure is ..
Sorry but I think this is another dumb argument from Vance. Walz served 24 years in the National Guard, I would not accuse anybody's commitment or patriotism after they had served for 24 years. It's not like he's out there trying to say he won the Medal of Honor or has an old photograph of him in uniform with the Korean Service Medal. I can disagree with other things that Walz has done as governor, but I cannot fault his patriotism over this. I think someone at the Trump campaign needs to start working on ensuring the talking points are better.
Yeah this is dumb partisan bullshit. As you say Walz served for 24 years. Vance served for 4. They both served and did their service honorably. Walz has already acknowledged and thanked Vance for his service. Vance is picking at threads...
About the only piece of Vance's attack that is true is that Walz never served in a combat zone. Despite how some have talked about the dating scene in Italy, it was just not a combat zone. Outside of that, I would never disparage anybody who served 24 years and left with an Honorable Discharge.
I do hope Vance gets some better material.
While that is true, Walz only claimed he served during war. Which is technically true. Vance did go to the Middle East, but as a Public Affairs Specialist. Neither one should really be talking up their war skills.
I agree both parties should be sticking to policy and platforms.
Is Walz talking up his 'war skills'?
The desperation is deep among the gop
Wow, we agree..
He said " can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war,"
So what, if he actually did say that?
Actually, while Vance was deployed in Iraq as a military journalist. Technically he was in a combat zone but he was not in combat.
As to the line about Walz wanting to ban weapons he carried in combat, it's from a Harris campaign ad according to the same link above.
I've not seen that exact ad, the only verification I have is this link above. But if Walz did say those exact words, then it kind of lessens the criticism of Vance as Walz was never in war although I do see that the Harris campaign has tried to soften it in saying Walz was in Italy while supporting other groups in country in Afghanistan. Kind of lame, but lets be honest. Politicians say stupid stuff all the time. At least he didn't brag about his aircraft landing under sniper fire.
If he was in the state he was Governor of during the drug addict riots of 2020 to 2023 he can theoretically claim to have been in a war zone, one he helped to build, but still a war zone.
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Vance must be dangerous with a military grade ink pen.
Except the argument ain't coming from Vance. Better read the seed article again. This was an issue for Tim Walz when he ran for governor in 2018.
Yeah, but didn't Vance jump on it talking about stolen valor and dodging duty by getting out when the unit was called up to deploy? IMO it's stupid for Vance to do this. Go to policy that Walz professes, how Walz handled his duties as governor. But this argument? No better than Trump bitching about just how black is Harris. Give that shit a rest and focus on policy. After all, actual early voting starts Sept 20th in three states. So they only have a few weeks for real campaigning before votes start to get cast.
Again, we agree.
A thank You Snuffy, for standing up for what you feel to be right on this issue, and sticking to your guns when questioned by usual allies. It is good to see, and wish we saw more of it on both sides. I haven't read all of the story, but I'd have to agree, 24 years is a substantial amount of time to be n the National Guard, and by then taking up plans to run for office, imho, gives him adequate out to pursue other aspirations. There are some who are knocking this guy for not standing by his men, all while giving the former coward in chief Trump, a clean slate after what he has been quoted saying about our veterans, POW's, KIA, and that is just crazy. Bone spurrier fractured fairy tale boy has no authority to lead US into or out of any wars, especially as he praises dicktater tots incessantly !, now with that said, I again thank Snuffy for his courage to stand up and call out what he, and many I believe, feel is a wrong attack on a patriotic American. Make it about policy and such, not is he patriotic enough...
He was a senior NCO whose men no doubt relied upon him and he quit in the middle of his enlistment when he learned he was going to a combat zone. No one claimed it's illegal. He was obviously within his rights to quit when he did. It also obviously angered some of the men he served with.
He wants to be a leader of the country. I think it's perfectly fair to look at his record and evaluate him on a standard other than was his behavior something better than "it wasn't illegal" or it was within the rules. The Vice President of the country of 330 million plus people should be exceptional. In a leadership position and facing a dangerous situation, he quit and left his unit without a senior NCO with deployment looming. You can be fine with leaders doing that. Other's aren't. Some think wearing a hunting cap and shooting animals makes him a leader but don't want to talk about he responded to a notice of deployment. It's a fair data point on assessing his character, just like his 24 years of service is. Put what value on it that you will.
100% agree.
Donald Trump is insane. Don't expect anything rational from him.
Hmmm are the swift boaters holding a reunion?
"Swift boaters" what does that even mean?
I like Trav and Tay. I live in KC and am a Chiefs fan.
We have the same guy keep our Rolex's in tune.
Look up John Kerry's military service and his run for president. He served on riverine warfare craft in Vietnam. Said boats were like updates PT boats of WW II and known as "swift boats" and their crews were known as "swift boaters", some of which disagreed with Kerry's version of his Vietnam service and his award of the Silver Star and testified in Congress.