Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has been facing a flurry of criticism from Republicans recently, as they accuse him of “stolen valor” for his military service. Speaking at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union’s 46th international convention, Walz addressed these allegations head on, stating that he was “damn proud” of his service and emphasizing that one should never denigrate another person’s service record.
Walz, who has served in the Minnesota National Guard for 24 years, explained his decision to join the military at a young age. “With my dad’s encouragement, a guy who served in the Army during the Korean War, I signed up for the National Guard two days after my 17th birthday,” he said. “I served for the next 24 years for the same reason all my brothers and sisters in uniform do: We love this country.”
He went on to clarify the timing of his retirement from the National Guard in 2005, stating that he felt the “call of duty” to serve his country in a different capacity – in the halls of Congress. However, in a video from 2018 that resurfaced recently, Walz claimed he “carried” weapons “in war” during a speech on gun control. This caught the attention of many, including former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, who accused Walz of “stolen valor.” In response to this, Walz firmly stated, “I am damn proud of my service to this country.”
He also addressed Retired Command Sergeants Major Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr, who criticized him in a 2018 letter for “betraying his country” by retiring before his unit was set to be deployed to Iraq. Walz acknowledged their criticism but stood by his decision, saying, “I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice.”
Meanwhile, the Harris-Walz campaign website quietly edited Walz’s title from “retired command sergeant major” to “served as a command sergeant major” last week, raising further questions about his military service.
Sen. Vance responded to Walz’s remarks, reiterating his previous statements about the governor’s alleged dishonesty. “Tim, I thank you for your service. But you shouldn’t have lied about it. You shouldn’t have said you went to war when you didn’t,” he wrote on X. “Nor should you have said that you didn’t know your unit was going to Iraq. Happy to discuss more in a debate.”
The accusations of “stolen valor” against Walz have been causing a stir in the political arena, and it’s clear that Republicans are not letting this issue go- nor should they.
As the controversy continues to swirl, it raises questions about the credibility and integrity of both Walz and his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris. Only time will tell how this will impact their campaign for the upcoming election.