Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been aware of stolen valor accusations going back to 2006, according to a report from CNN.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the current vice president pick for 2024 Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris, has been aware of stolen valor accusations going back to 2006, according to a report from CNN.
While Walz’s service in the U.S. National Guard remains undisputed, his use of the rank “retired Command Sergeant Major” has sparked accusations of stolen valor as well as his claims to have carried weapons “in war,” even though he never served in war or a combat zone. As Breitbart News reported, Walz “listed on his official biography a higher military rank than the one he ultimately retired with, drawing criticism from some veterans”:
Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded, as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9.
After reports surfaced questioning his use of rank, the Kamala Harris campaign altered its official website’s biography of Walz by removing its reference to him as a “retired command sergeant major” and only noting that he once served at the command sergeant major rank.
According to CNN, Walz encountered criticisms of his service characterizations going all the way back to 2006 during his run for U.S. Congress, which he denied at the time. Per the report:
That year, multiple letters to his local paper in Mankato, Minnesota, accused him of making misleading statements about his service, including whether he had served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Walz found the accusations serious enough that he personally responded to them both.
At issue were a selection of political ads and statements on Walz’s website describing his overseas military service. While they described Walz as having served overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, they neglected to specify that he did so while serving in Italy, not Afghanistan.
While the statements and ads painted a confusing picture of Walz’s service, he did say in other interviews at the time he was posted to Italy instead of Afghanistan “by the lack of the draw.
