{"id":2321554,"date":"2024-08-08T21:45:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-09T01:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-harris-campaign-scrambles-to-fix-vp-picks-biography-after-he-lies-about-military-record-but-its-too-late\/"},"modified":"2024-08-08T21:48:25","modified_gmt":"2024-08-09T01:48:25","slug":"kamala-harris-campaign-scrambles-to-fix-vp-picks-biography-after-he-lies-about-military-record-but-its-too-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-harris-campaign-scrambles-to-fix-vp-picks-biography-after-he-lies-about-military-record-but-its-too-late\/","title":{"rendered":"Kamala Harris&#8217; Campaign Scrambles to Fix VP Pick&#8217;s Biography After He Lies About Military Record, But It&#8217;s Too Late"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkamala-harris-campaign-scrambles-to-fix-vp-picks-biography-after-he-lies-about-military-record-but-its-too-late%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2321554&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The controversy surrounding Minnesota Governor\u200c Tim Walz&#8217;s military service and rank has resurfaced, particularly as he serves\u2064 as \u200dVice President Kamala Harris&#8217;s running mate in her presidential campaign. \u2063Critics, particularly retired Command Sgt. Maj. \u200bThomas Behrends, have accused Walz\u200b of &#8220;stolen valor,&#8221; claiming he fraudulently presents himself \u2064as a retired Command Sergeant Major \u2062when\u2063 he actually retired as \u200da Master Sergeant after not completing\u200c the required training to maintain \u200dthe higher rank. While Walz \u2064has described himself as a retired \u200dcommand\u2063 sergeant major, military records indicate he was demoted\u200c to master sergeant before leaving the Army \u2063in 2005. This situation has prompted updates to\u200c his official biography on Harris&#8217;s campaign\u200d website, which now\u200b clarifies that \u200dhe did not retire at the higher rank he previously claimed. \u200bThe issue has raised questions about Walz&#8217;s \u2062narrative\u2063 regarding his \u2064military service and its implications for his\u200c political career.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section>\n<p>Kamala Harris&rsquo; presidential campaign quietly updated the biography of running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on its website to reflect that he did not retire as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-ignored-warnings-about-withdrawing-troops-from-afghanistan-military-leaders-say\/\" title=\"Military leaders say the Biden administration disregarded Afghanistan troop withdrawal warnings.\">command sergeant major<\/a>, as it previously said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/08\/08\/harris-walz-military-credentials-00173236\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Politico<\/a> reported that the campaign <a href=\"https:\/\/kamalaharris.com\/meet-governor-tim-walz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a> described Walz, a National Guard veteran, as a &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/vp-pick-tim-walz-accused-of-stolen-valor-by-former-military-colleagues-he-abandoned-us\/\" title=\"VP Pick Tim Walz Accused of &#039;Stolen Valor&#039; by Former Military Colleagues: &#039;He Abandoned Us&#039;\">retired command sergeant major<\/a>,&rdquo; which is the highest rank an enlisted soldier can achieve in the U.S. Army.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/kamalaharris.com\/meet-governor-tim-walz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">site <\/a>now reads that he &ldquo;served for 24 years, rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Harris placed Walz&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hell-freezes-over-cnn-fact-checks-vp-pick-tim-walz-military-experience-making-kamala-harris-look-even-worse\/\" title=\"Hell Freezes Over: CNN Fact-Checks VP Pick Tim Walz&#039; Military Experience, Making Kamala Harris Look Even Worse\">military service front<\/a> and center at their first rally together in Philadelphia on Tuesday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/damning-report-tim-walz-army-rank-reduced-quit-never-retire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">saying<\/a>, &ldquo;To his fellow veterans, he is Sgt. Maj. Walz.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The governor has frequently described himself as a retired command sergeant major from the Army.<\/p>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">WOW.<\/p>\n<p>Here is yet another video of Tim Walz lying about his rank as a retired Command Sergeant Major.<\/p>\n<p>This one dating back to 2009. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PbVMSdd9U4\">pic.twitter.com\/PbVMSdd9U4<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GrageDustin\/status\/1821591293157622155?\">August 8, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-veterans-learned-the-dccc-had-leaked-their-data-the-vas-tech-chief-was-meeting-with-his-wife-she-runs-the-dccc\/\" title=\"As Veterans Learned the DCCC Had Leaked Their Data, the VA\u2019s Tech Chief Was Meeting With His Wife. She Runs the DCCC.\">military records obtained<\/a> by Alpha News in 2022, as Walz was running for re-election as governor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/damning-report-tim-walz-army-rank-reduced-quit-never-retire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">showed<\/a> that while he did obtain the rank of command sergeant major, known as an E9, he was demoted to master sergeant, E8, because he failed to complete the requirements to keep the higher rank before leaving the Army.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, he <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/walz-national-guard-military-ae43d684bf1319e535f9f620552155d7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">did not graduate<\/a> from the Army&rsquo;s Sergeants Major Academy, among other matters.<\/p>\n<p>Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uVURKDLzrF4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alpha News<\/a> that Walz in fact left the Army in 2005 after receiving a warning order that his unit, 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion, was to be deployed to Iraq.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He abandoned us. &hellip; As soon as the shots were fired in Iraq, he turned and ran the other way, hung his hat up and quit,&rdquo; Behrends said.<\/p>\n<p>The former Minnesota National Guard soldier explained that he was next in line behind Walz in the unit to take the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/damning-report-tim-walz-army-rank-was-reduced-after-he-quit-never-did-retire\/\" title=\"Damning Report: Tim Walz Army Rank Was Reduced After He Quit, Never Did &#039;Retire&#039;\">command sergeant major&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s slot and stepped up and deployed to Iraq for nearly two years.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;[Walz] can say that he served as a command sergeant major, but he can&rsquo;t say he&rsquo;s a retired one, because he&rsquo;s not,&rdquo; Behrends said.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesperson for the Minnesota National Guard in a 2022 statement to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune said, &ldquo;Walz attained the rank of command sergeant major and served in that role but retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes due to not completing additional coursework.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Behrends told Fox News host Laura Ingraham Wednesday night that Walz &ldquo;has used the rank he never achieved in order to advance his political career.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Ret. Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends accuses <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Tim_Walz?\">@Tim_Walz<\/a> of stolen valor: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s used the rank that he never achieved in order to, advance his political career.&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/2024Election?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#2024Election<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IyB7N1lfr1\">https:\/\/t.co\/IyB7N1lfr1<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xYHB11DOGY\">pic.twitter.com\/xYHB11DOGY<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IngrahamAngle\/status\/1821362549033492907?\">August 8, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He still says he&rsquo;s a retired command sergeant major to this day, and he&rsquo;s not,&rdquo; Behrends added.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, his official biography on his Minnesota governor&rsquo;s website <a href=\"https:\/\/mn.gov\/governor\/about-gov\/timwalz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">says<\/a>, &ldquo;Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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According to Politico, the campaign&#8217;s website had previously referred to Walz, a veteran of the National Guard, as a &#8220;retired command sergeant major,&#8221; which is the highest rank for enlisted soldiers in the U.S. Army. The updated information now states that he &#8220;served for 24 years and rose to the rank of Command Sergeant Major.&#8221; During their first rally together in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Harris highlighted Walz&#8217;s military service by stating, &#8220;To his fellow veterans, he is Sgt. Maj. Walz.&#8221; The governor has often identified himself as a retired command sergeant major from the Army.<\/p>\n<p>However, military records obtained by Alpha News in 2022 revealed that while Walz achieved the rank of command sergeant major (E9), he was demoted to master sergeant (E8) because he did not fulfill certain requirements necessary to retain his higher rank before leaving the Army; specifically, he failed to graduate from the Army\u2019s Sergeants Major Academy among other obligations. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends told Alpha News that Walz left active duty in 2005 after receiving notice that his unit was being deployed to Iraq and criticized him for abandoning his unit during this critical time.<\/p>\n<p>Behrends stated that although Walz can claim service as a command sergeant major, he cannot rightfully call himself a retired one since he did not complete his tenure at that rank. A spokesperson for the Minnesota National Guard confirmed in 2022 that while Walz reached command sergeant major status and served in this capacity briefly before retiring as a master sergeant due to incomplete coursework requirements.<\/p>\n<p>Behrends further accused Walz of using an unearned title for political gain during an appearance on Fox News with Laura Ingraham: \u201cHe\u2019s used the rank that he never achieved in order to advance his political career.\u201d He reiterated this point by noting how even today; Walz continues claiming retirement at this higher rank despite it being inaccurate according to official records which state on his Minnesota governor&#8217;s biography: \u201cCommand Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2321555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Walz-vs-Harris-CSM-controversy.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[37616,32438,33583,32774],"class_list":["post-2321554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-campaign-issues","tag-kamala-harris","tag-military-record","tag-vp-pick"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Walz-vs-Harris-CSM-controversy.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2321554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2321554"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2321554\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2321555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2321554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2321554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2321554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}