Tim Walz’s military record under scrutiny as he joins Kamala Harris on Democratic ticket

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz‘s navy document has come underneath renewed scrutiny following Vice President Kamala Harris’ announcement of Walz as her operating mate on the Democratic ticket. 

On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump’s operating mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who’s an Iraq Warfare veteran, seized the chance to focus on his opponent’s navy document, resurfacing claims about his deployments and his retirement from the guard.

Walz served honorably in each the Nebraska and Minnesota Military Nationwide Guards, incomes medals and deploying in help of Operation Enduring Freedom. However his remaining days of service have been referred to as into query, centering on his rank and if he retired to keep away from a 2005 deployment to Iraq. 

A CBS Information evaluation of Walz’s navy document and statements from the Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard present Walz achieved the rank of command sergeant main however was diminished in rank to grasp sergeant after retirement since he had not accomplished coursework for the U.S. Military Sergeants Main Academy. 

On Iraq, information present Walz had retired earlier than his battalion was mobilized and deployed to Iraq. A 2005 assertion from his web site signifies Walz was initially ready to deploy to Iraq amid his bid for Congress. CBS Information has requested Walz for touch upon when he determined to retire. 

A snapshot of Walz within the navy

Walz retired from the Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard’s 1st Battalion, a hundred and twenty fifth Subject Artillery in 2005 after greater than 24 years in service, the Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard advised CBS Information. 

Walz first enlisted within the Nebraska Military Nationwide Guard in April 1981, serving as an infantry senior sergeant and administrative specialist. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard, the place he first labored as a cannon crewmember and area artillery senior sergeant. 

Minnesota Nationwide Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Kristen Augé advised CBS Information that Walz “held a number of positions inside area artillery equivalent to firing battery chief, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and culminated his profession serving because the command sergeant main for the battalion.” 

Walz earned a number of Military commendation and achievement medals throughout his greater than 24 years of service. 

Walz deployed in August 2003 in help of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Minnesota Nationwide Guard advised CBS Information the battalion supported safety missions at varied places in Europe and Turkey. Walz was stationed at Vicenza, Italy, on the time and returned to Minnesota in April 2004. 

Controversy over a 2005 Iraq deployment

On Wednesday, Vance resurfaced claims that Walz retired from the Nationwide Guard to keep away from deploying to Iraq. 

“When the US Marine Corps, when the US of America, requested me to go to Iraq to serve my nation I did it. I did what they requested me to do, and I did it honorably and I am very pleased with that service,” stated Vance. 

He added: “When Tim Walz was requested by his nation to go to Iraq, what he did? He dropped out of the Military and allowed his unit to go with out him — a incontrovertible fact that he is been criticized for aggressively by numerous the folks he served with.” 

The Harris-Walz marketing campaign responded with an announcement saying: “After 24 years of navy service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, the place he [served as the ranking member] of Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our women and men in uniform — and as Vice President of the US he’ll proceed to be a relentless champion for our veterans and navy households.” The assertion incorrectly acknowledged Walz chaired the Veterans Affairs committee. 

The marketing campaign additionally stated, “In his 24 years of service, the Governor carried, fired and educated others to make use of weapons of struggle innumerable instances. Governor Walz would by no means insult or undermine any American’s service to this nation — the truth is, he thanks Senator Vance for placing his life on the road for our nation. It is the American manner.”  

The claims raised by Vance first gained prominence when Walz ran for governor of Minnesota in 2018. On the time, retired Military veterans Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr, who each served as command sergeant majors, posted on Fb a prolonged letter accusing Walz of “embellishing” his navy profession and abandoning his Military Nationwide Guard battalion forward of a 2005 deployment to Iraq.

Within the letter, Behrends and Herr write that in early 2005, Walz’s unit — 1st Battalion, a hundred and twenty fifth Subject Artillery — was slated to deploy to Iraq. On the time, Walz was serving because the unit’s command sergeant main. 

Behrends and Herr claimed that from the time the unit was advised to organize for an Iraq deployment and when Walz retired, he advised different Military leaders he could be going to Iraq however later resigned his place earlier than the deployment to keep away from going to a fight zone. 

Walz has stated he left the guard to run for Congress, in accordance with the Star Tribune. In 2006, Walz received his election to Congress towards a six-term Republican incumbent. 

Information present Walz formally filed paperwork with the Federal Election Fee on Feb. 10, 2005. 

In March 2005, the Nationwide Guard introduced a attainable partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota Nationwide Guard, in accordance with an archived press launch from Tim Walz for U.S. Congress.  

“I don’t but know if my artillery unit might be a part of this mobilization and I’m unable to remark additional on the specifics of the deployment,” stated Walz within the March 2005 assertion. 

The assertion continued: “As Command Sergeant Main I’ve a duty not solely to prepared my battalion for Iraq, but additionally to serve if referred to as on. I’m devoted to serving my nation to the most effective of my capacity, whether or not that’s in Washington DC or Iraq,” stated Walz, who indicated on the time he had no plans to drop out of the race. “I’m lucky to have a robust group of enthusiastic help and a really devoted and clever spouse. Each might be a significant a part of my marketing campaign, whether or not I’m in Minnesota or Iraq.” 

The Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard advised CBS Information that Walz retired on Could 16, 2005. CBS Information has requested Walz to make clear when he submitted his retirement papers. 

The Minnesota Nationwide Guard advised CBS Information that Walz’s unit — 1st Battalion, a hundred and twenty fifth Subject Artillery — obtained an alert order for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005 – two months after Walz retired, in accordance with Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, who serves because the Minnesota Nationwide Guard’s director of operations. The official mobilization order was obtained on August 14 of the identical yr, and the unit mobilized in October. 

CBS Information reviewed the deployment historical past for the Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard which exhibits that within the fall of 2005, 1st Battalion, a hundred and twenty fifth Subject Artillery was mobilized in preparation for a deployment in help of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion educated at Camp Shelby in Mississippi and deployed to Iraq as a motorized safety process drive. 

In 2018, Tom Hagen, a navy reservist who served in Iraq, wrote a letter to The Winona Day by day Information claiming Walz was not being candid about his service document and wished folks to know that the longer term Minnesota governor didn’t serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. 

Walz responded in the identical newspaper and criticized Hagan as dishonoring a fellow veteran, in accordance with MPR Information. Walz wrote: “There is a code of honor amongst those that’ve served, and usually this kind of partisan political assault solely comes from one who’s by no means worn a uniform.”

Joseph Eustice, a 32-year veteran of the guard who additionally led Walz’s battalion, advised CBS Minnesota that whereas he does not agree with Walz’s politics, he does consider Walz’s document within the navy is sound.

“Tim Walz as a soldier, he was a very good soldier. I do not suppose anybody can actually say that he wasn’t,” Eustice stated. “…He was a very good chief in these 24 years that he served.”

Walz’s rank as a command sergeant main

Official biographies on the Minnesota authorities web site and Vice President Kamala Harris’ web site have described Walz as a “retired Command Sergeant Main.” Nevertheless, paperwork reviewed by CBS Information present this isn’t correct; whereas Walz served at one level as a command sergeant main, he retired at a decrease rank. 

Military veteran Anthony Anderson, who routinely obtains navy information from the Protection Division utilizing the Freedom of Info Act and has labored with CBS Information on related tales, supplied Walz’s information for evaluation. CBS Information has additionally requested the paperwork from the Nationwide Guard. 

One of many paperwork exhibits Walz reverted again to grasp sergeant from command sergeant main when he retired from the Minnesota Nationwide Guard in Could 2005. 

Military troopers promoted to the rank of sergeant main or command sergeant main are required to attend the Sergeants Main Course, or what was previously often known as the U.S. Military Sergeants Main Academy.  

Lt. Col. Augé, the Minnesota Nationwide Guard spokesperson, advised CBS Information that Walz retired as a grasp sergeant in 2005 for “profit functions” as a result of he didn’t full further coursework on the U.S. Military Sergeants Main Academy.

Whereas Walz can say he served as a command sergeant main within the Minnesota Military Nationwide Guard, his official biographies are incorrect in referring to him as a “retired Command Sergeant Main.”

On Aug. 8, the marketing campaign web site up to date its description of his service. It omits his rank upon retirement and now reads, “The son of an Military veteran who served as a command sergeant main, Walz was the rating member on the Home Veterans Affairs Committee, the place he handed laws to assist stem veterans’ suicides.”

Editor’s Be aware: This story has been up to date to deal with an error within the assertion from the Harris-Walz marketing campaign.

contributed to this report.