Assessing Walz’s National Guard Gaslighting

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, recently named Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate for the 2024 presidential election, is facing serious accusations of “stolen valor” regarding his military service. The controversy centers on discrepancies between his public claims about his military rank and service and his actual record. For years, Walz falsely claimed that he retired as a “Command Sargeant Major,” a rank he did not earn due to his “retirement” from the National Guard just months before his unit deployed to fight in Iraq. He failed to complete the two-year commitment required to earn that rank, retiring instead as a Master Sargeant.

In addition, a video clip posted by Harris’s campaign showed Walz referencing his military background while discussing gun control: “We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at.”

Walz never served in a combat zone; instead, he served his remaining time in Italy.

Walz’s gaslighting hits close to home for Arizonans facing their own “stolen valor” controversy during the Legislative District 7 (LD7) primary, with candidate Steve Slaton at the center of the drama. The issue, which even garnered attention from Rolling Stone, became a significant talking point leading up to the election. Slaton, who faced allegations of misrepresenting his military service, ultimately lost his primary race.

His opponent, Walt Blackman, who won the primary, took the opportunity to address the broader issue of stolen valor with the Arizona Globe, emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity in military service and public office.

“Those who seek to hold office must embody integrity and honor; if proven guilty of stolen valor, they not only betray the trust of the public but also undermine the sacrifices of our veterans, demonstrating they are unfit to lead and should resign or drop out of the race.” – Walt Blackman, SFC (RET), United States Army.

Walz faces three allegations that provide questions not just about his service but his honesty.

Walz has often referred to himself as a retired Command Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Army. However, Walz did not retire with this rank. Instead, he retired as a Master Sergeant after failing to complete the necessary coursework and training required to maintain his conditional promotion to Command Sergeant Major.

According to Lt. Col. Kristen Augé of the Minnesota National Guard, Walz was conditionally promoted to Command Sergeant Major but did not fulfill the educational requirements at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. Consequently, his rank was reverted to Master Sergeant at the time of his retirement in 2005.

The second issue surrounds his decision to retire early, just prior to deployment to Iraq. Several veterans who served alongside Walz have criticized his decision to leave the Minnesota National Guard shortly before his battalion deployed to Iraq in 2005. Retired Command Sergeant Major Thomas Behrends, who served in the same battalion, has been particularly vocal, accusing Walz of abandoning his unit for political aspirations. Behrends replaced Walz during the deployment and has publicly condemned what he describes as Walz’s embellishment of his military service.

🚨MUST WATCH: Retired Command Sergeant Major Tom Behrends EXPOSES Tim Walz misrepresenting his military service.

“As soon as the shots were fired in Iraq, he turned and ran the other way, hung his hat up and quit.” pic.twitter.com/ewbcCjh3kA

— CPAC (@CPAC) August 7, 2024

Behrends and other veterans argue that Walz knew of the squad’s impending deployment and retired early to avoid combat. Waltz claims he didn’t know when he put in for his retirement to run for Congress.

Strike three came when a video surfaced with Waltz claiming he carried weapons “in” war.

JD Vance criticized Walz at an event in Michigan, saying, “What bothers me about Tim Walz is this stolen valor garbage. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. I’d be ashamed if I were him and lied about my military service like he did.”

The campaign’s statement clarified, “In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke. He did handle weapons of war and strongly believed that only military personnel should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance, who prioritize the gun lobby over our children.”

The Arizona Globe spoke to Stolen Valor advocate and expert Anthony Anderson of Guardian of Valor, an organization focused on uncovering cases of misstated and false military service, who stated, “It isn’t appropriate for Walz to continue to use CSM if he didn’t complete the rank.”

The Arizona Globe asked Anderson if he thought Waltz intended to deceive when he implied that he carried weapons in war.

Anderson responded, “Considering all the evidence, it seems clear Walz was trying to suggest he carried a weapon of war in combat. That’s why the campaign later issued a statement saying he ‘misspoke,’ because that’s what he said.”

The Stolen Valor issue continues to haunt the Harris campaign.