Since the announcement that Tim Walz would be joining presidential hopeful Kamala Harris as her running mate, Tim Walz’s military service has been under scrutiny.
There have been several accusations of stolen valor and misconceptions about the truths surrounding his service to the country. Now, the Minnesota National Guard is sharing their side of the story to clear up any misconceptions.
Tim Walz’s Background
Tim Walz originally enlisted with the National Guard in Nebraska when he was just 17 years old. As a young man, he was excited and passionate about serving his country meaningfully.
After serving his country for 24 years, Walz went back to school and became a high school teacher and football coach.
From the Football Field to the Political Arena
In 1999, Walz brought a high-school football team to win a Class 4A state championship.
In August of 2006, Walz stepped into the political sphere when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives and was re-elected for another five terms, serving Minnesota’s first Congressional District in Southern Minnesota.
The Minnesota National Guard
The Minnesota National Guard is defending the former service member by clarifying that Walz, who retired in 2005 after 24 years of service, could not have known that his battalion would be mobilized for the Middle East conflict.
At the time of his retirement, there was no way for him to anticipate such future mobilization. The Minnesota Governor has faced some scrutiny for returning from the military at the age of 42 before ever entering a live combat zone.
Controversy Surrounding Walz’s Rank
Another issue surrounding Walz’s current campaign is the issue with his rank when he left the service.
In campaign materials, Walz claimed that he retired at the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
Rank Controversy
Records show that he did retire at the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
However, he never completed the necessary coursework to hold the title officially and was subsequently demoted slightly.
Timing of Walz’s Military Retirement
It’s not uncommon for a 42-year-old to retire from military service.
However, many have raised concerns about the timing of his retirement.
Time Machine
Several members of the National Guard note that Walz would have needed the gift of a time machine to know that the 1-125th Battalion of the 1st Brigade Combat Team would later be deployed.
Where and when members of the National Guard become deployed can often change in a moment.
Walz’s Exemplary Military Record
Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, a Minnesota National Guard State Public Affairs Officer, informed the media that Walz served from April 8, 1981, to May 16, 2005.
During this time, he held multiple positions within field artillery, including firing battery chief, operations sergeant, and first sergeant, ultimately culminating his career as the command sergeant major for the battalion.
Diverse Military Roles in the National Guard
“Governor Walz served in the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery after transferring from the Nebraska National Guard in 1996”, Augé said.
He continued, “while serving in Minnesota, his military occupational specialties were 13B – a cannon crewmember who operates and maintains cannons and 13Z – field artillery senior sergeant. In Nebraska, he served as a 11Z – infantry senior sergeant, and a 71L – administrative specialist”
Lucky Timing
Walz’s official retirement in May occurred two full months before the 1-125th Field Artillery was deployed to Iraq.
The deployment took place after his retirement had already been finalized.
90 Days Post-Retirement and Initial Alert
The official order for troop deployment overseas was issued about 90 days after Walz’s official retirement.
This order came one month after the initial alert, according to Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, the MNG’s Director of Operations.
The Battalion Was Deployed to Iraq
The unit officially mobilized on October 12, almost five months after Walz left the service.
They were finally deployed to Iraq in March 2006, after completing a training camp in Shelby, Mississippi, which was 10 full months after Walz’s official retirement, according to Rossman.
Mobilization Orders
“Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery received an alert order for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005” Rossman said.
“The official Department of the Army mobilization order was received on August 14, 2005”
Accusations Are Questionable
The accusations that Walz could have known about the deployment and retired early are questionable at best.
According to DoD officials, there was no way a current battalion member could know where they would be roughly 10 months later.
Personal Attack
The rumors swirling around Walz’s service can be more accurately described as a personal attack.
To be able to retire from the military, even after 24 years of service, a person needs to have their request approved by their unit commander.
No Evidence of Retirement Interference
There is currently no evidence that Walz’s unit commander acted to prevent or delay his retirement request.
Additionally, there was no notification to Walz about the upcoming deployment.
Walz Was Deployed Once to Europe
Despite not being deployed to an active war zone, Walz was deployed to Europe.
During military service, a person is constantly training and preparing for a potential deployment.
Walz’s Mobilization with the 1st Battalion
Governor Tim Walz mobilized with the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery on August 3, 2003.
This mobilization was in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Deployment Details
The battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey.
Governor Walz was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, during his deployment and returned to Minnesota in April 2004, according to Augé.
Impact of Hearing Loss
The retirement announcement came a few years after Walz had worked with artillery, which resulted in bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
His hearing issues were a significant factor in his decision to retire.
Walz’s Account of Hearing Loss Due to Field Artillery Blasts
In a benefits application, Walz spoke of blasts that affected his hearing.
He said, “the blasts would knock us down and after firing I had ringing in my ears” and hearing loss that progressively worsened during his 21 years in the field artillery unit.
Medical Evaluation in 2002
In 2002, a medical retention board required Walz to appear before them to evaluate his injuries.
The board assessed whether he was fit to continue serving in the National Guard.
Ear Surgery
He later underwent ear surgery in 2005 to address his injuries.
The procedure involved the addition of several prosthetic bones to aid his recovery.
