Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), who is facing accusations of stolen valor, allegedly falsely claimed in a previous press release that he was a veteran of Afghanistan.
In a 2006 press release issued by his campaign, Walz was described as being a “veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.”
The war in Afghanistan, which began on October 7, 2001, was called Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website. The operation’s start came after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“Democrat Tim Walz will spend Sunday, Feb. 19th and Monday, Feb. 20th traveling across Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District as he formally announces his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives,” the press release said. “Walz, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and longtime Mankato educator is unopposed for the DFL endorsement and is slated to challenge Rep. Gil Gutknecht in November of 2006.”
In a photo posted to X, Walz can be seen holding a sign that says, “Enduring Freedom Veterans for Kerry,” in protest of former President George W. Bush visiting Minnesota in 2004.
The Washington Free Beacon reported that David Thul, a veteran of the Iraq war, addressed the issue that Walz was claiming to be a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom with his aides in 2009.
One staffer reportedly claimed she was “not aware” that Walz had served in Afghanistan, while another aide reportedly “acknowledged that constituents could get the false impression,” according to the outlet.
On Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that she was picking Walz to be her running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Since then, Walz has faced accusations of stolen valor and criticism from veterans
In a viral video, Walz can be heard claiming he had served in war, although he had never seen combat during his time serving in the United States military:
I spent 25 years in the Army, and I hunt … I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can do CDC research … We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at.
Gov. @Tim_Walz: I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war,… pic.twitter.com/3IVaXi2RP2
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 6, 2024
Walz admitted in a 2018 interview with MPR News that he had not seen combat, adding that he had “got far more out of the military” than “they got out of” him.
“I know that there are certainly folks that did far more than I did,” Walz said. “I know that. I willingly say that I got far more out of the military than they got out of me, from the GI Bill to leadership opportunities to everything else.”
In Walz’s biography on his website, he lists having a higher rank than the one he had when he retired from the U.S. military.
As Breitbart News reported:
Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded, as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre avoided a question related to accusations of Walz’s stolen valor.
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