Tim Walz's military service claims have resurfaced as a controversy, just as Kamala Harris taps him as her running mate, raising questions about his past and accusations of "stolen valor."
In a radio ad from 2006, Democrat Tim Walz, then a candidate for U.S. Congress in Minnesota, incorrectly described himself as a "Retired Command Sergeant Major." This misrepresentation has resurfaced after Kamala Harris chose him as her running mate, raising questions about his military record.
In the ad, unearthed on August 2, Walz introduces himself by saying, "My name is Tim Walz and I’m running for Congress here in Southern Minnesota for several important reasons. But today, I’d like to tell you about one issue that’s very personal to me. I am a retired Command Sergeant Major in the Minnesota National Guard." He then discusses how his time operating artillery caused hearing loss that required surgery.
The New York Times confirmed Walz’s hearing loss in a recent report, detailing how his service in an artillery unit left him with tinnitus and hearing damage, despite not seeing combat. In 2005, Walz underwent surgery to correct the issue.
However, Walz’s claim of being a "retired Command Sergeant Major" has sparked criticism from the military community, accusing him of "stolen valor." Reports indicate that Walz did not complete the necessary coursework to officially retire with that rank. According to Breitbart News, Walz listed a higher military rank on his official biography than the one he retired with, leading to further scrutiny. In response, the Harris campaign adjusted his biography on its website, removing the "retired Command Sergeant Major" title and noting only that he once served at that rank.
Walz has faced similar criticisms since his initial run for Congress in 2006, which he denied at the time. A viral video shared by the Kamala Harris campaign on X recently showed Walz advocating for gun control while stating, "I spent 25 years in the Army, and I hunt … We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at." The campaign later clarified that Walz misspoke, even though he had reposted the video himself days before being announced as Harris’s VP pick.
Additional scrutiny has been directed at Walz for previously presenting himself as a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, the official name for the U.S. war in Afghanistan. A 2006 press release from his campaign described him as a "veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom." This claim, along with a photo showing Walz at an anti-Bush protest holding a sign that read "Enduring Freedom Veterans for Kerry," has contributed to ongoing accusations of misrepresenting his military service.
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