Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has come under scrutiny for implying that his brief congressional trip to Afghanistan was a military deployment as part of his National Guard service. Republican counterpart JD Vance accused Walz of “stolen valor” for exaggerating his service record. Walz, who has been Minnesota’s governor since 2019, spoke about feeling guilty that he “came home” when others did not during a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He mentioned his time at Afghanistan’s Bagram Air Base, but did not clarify that he was there as a civilian.
Walz served in the National Guard and deployed to Italy in a support role in 2003 during the War on Terror. However, he did not enter the war zone as a National Guard member and retired in 2005 ahead of a potential deployment to Iraq. He left the service to run for Congress in 2006. The controversy surrounding Walz intensified when a video of his remarks at Bagram in Afghanistan circulated on social media. Influential conservatives criticized him for implying that he deployed to war when he actually visited Bagram as a congressman.
The prepared copy of Walz’s speech, hosted on a Minnesota government website, further fueled the firestorm. It quoted him as saying, “I stood one night in the dark of night on the tarmac at Bagram Air Base in Iraq [sic] and watched a military ramp ceremony – a soldier’s body being loaded onto a plane to be returned home.” However, a spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign clarified that he was referring to his congressional delegation trip in 2008.
Critics argued that Walz’s remarks were misleading and created the impression that he had served in a military capacity in Afghanistan. Former Illinois Republican congressional candidate Mike Koolidge questioned how a casual listener could interpret his comments any other way. Tom Elliott, founder of Grabien, acknowledged that Walz did not specifically claim to be on active duty during his visit to Bagram but suggested that he allowed casual observers to make that assumption.
JD Vance, an Ohio senator and Iraq War veteran, previously criticized Walz for allegedly exaggerating his military experiences after other remarks by the Minnesota Democrat came to light. In a pro-gun control speech in 2018, Walz mentioned carrying weapons of war during his time in war. However, his campaign spokesperson clarified that Walz misspoke and meant to emphasize the need to keep such weapons off the streets and out of classrooms.
Overall, Walz’s remarks and the subsequent controversy highlight the importance of accurately representing one’s military service record. Implying or exaggerating military experiences can be seen as disrespectful to those who have truly served in combat zones. It is crucial for political candidates to provide clear and truthful information about their military backgrounds to maintain trust and credibility with the public.
