Tim Walz Battalion Veteran Warns ‘Stolen Valor’ Accusations Are ‘Far Darker Than People Think’
A veteran who served with Tim Walz addressed J.D. Vance's accusations about his military service.
Aug. 8 2024, Published 5:56 p.m. ET
A veteran who served with Tim Walz accused him of embellishing his military record for political gain, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Kamala Harris’ running mate served in the National Guard for 24 years before retiring, successfully running for congress and serving as governor of Minnesota.
Walz served in the National Guard for 24 years before retiring in 2005.
Amid growing support for the Harris-Walz ticket, Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, accused Walz, 60, of “stolen valor."
Vance’s allegations were directed at a previous statement from the democrat on gun control and weapons of war, such as high-powered firearms. Vance additionally insinuated that Walz dodged combat and left his battalion when they received orders for Iraq in 2005.
In the wake of Vance’s “stolen valor” accusations, speculations about Walz’s military career were raised.
Vance accused Walz of ‘stolen valor’ over the governor’s comments on gun control.
Walz, 60, enlisted in the National Guard in April 1981 and served for over two decades before he retired in May 2005. His battalion received their deployment orders in July, two months after he finished his service.
The Minnesota National Guard stated that Walz filed his retirement papers five to seven months before his retirement – and well before his unit was notified of their upcoming deployment.
While Vance’s timeline about Walz’s career did not align with reality, Ret. Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends, who served in the same battalion as Harris’ running mate, insisted the republican’s “stolen valor” accusations are “far darker than a lot of people think."
During a conversation with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, the veteran alleged: “He’s used the rank that he never achieved in order to advance his political career."
“I mean, he still says he’s a retired command sergeant major to this day, and he’s not. He uses the rank of others to make it look like he's a better person than he is."
Walz has described himself as a retired 'command sergeant major.'
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Walz describes himself as a retired “command sergeant major” on his governor’s website and in social media bios.
Behrends confirmed that Walz was promoted to command sergeant major in 2004 but noted he was required to serve for two years or else the promotion was voided.
He explained: “What he did, basically, was he quit. He didn’t complete that condition of doing two years after graduation, so he gets reduced to a master sergeant, and that's what he is right now, is a retired master sergeant.”
Minnesota National Guard director of operations Army Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman told the outlet in a statement: “He was technically a Command Sgt Major when he deployed to Europe with his battalion but to RETIRE as a CSM you have to go through a final course which he had not completed so from a benefits perspective the Army retired him as a Master Sgt (lower enlisted rank.) But according to National Guard records he was a Command Sgt Major technically when deployed. The lower rank was as a result of benefit requirements and a technicality.”
Walz’s former battalion member claimed he’s using the rank for political gain.
Harris’ campaign also issued a statement regarding Walz’s service.
The statement read: “After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he chaired Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform – and as our Vice President of the United States, he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families.”
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