When Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was introduced as Kamala Harris’ running mate, the campaign presented him as a bonified patriot, a career National Guardsman who retired as a command sergeant major after 24 years of faithful service to his country, including a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Walz enlisted two days after his 17th birthday in April 1981. As Walz tells it, when the planes hit the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, the attack compelled him to reenlist in lieu of his 20-year retirement, to carry out his patriotic duty to serve his country in a time of war. He then retired in 2005, years after his service obligation for retirement was satisfied.
But in fact, just like claims that he served in war, or retired as a command sergeant major, the story as Walz tells it is not true.
Serving in Combat and Rank
Walz is a serial fabulist. On Aug. 6, the same day Harris announced Walz as her choice for running mate, the Harris campaign posted a video on X in which Walz stated, “We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war.” Turns out Walz “misspoke.” To put it in more natural terms, he lied. On day one, the first video of Kamala Harris’ vice-presidential candidate released by the campaign contained within it a blatant lie about his military service that stepped right up to the line of what most military veterans would consider
