Harris Campaign Quietly Edits Tim Walz Biography Amid 'Stolen Valor' Accusations

After being heavily scrutinized for days following Vice President Kamala Harris' announcement of Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) as her running mate, the Harris campaign quietly altered Walz's biography on the campaign's website as accusations of stolen valor and misleading statements about his military service began to gain traction over the past few days.

The campaign website previously explained that Walz was a "retired Command Sergeant Major," but the description was later changed to say that he "served as a command sergeant major." Walz has repeatedly played fast and loose with his military record, falsely claiming multiple times, including in a recorded message to the 34th Infantry Batallion in 2009, that he retired as a Command Sergeant Major. However, he did not complete the required coursework for the rank and subsequently was demoted back to an E-8 Master Sergeant by the Army National Guard upon his retirement in May 2005. 

The false claim has been a key attack against Walz by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance (R-OH), a Marine veteran who served in Iraq. "Do not pretend to be something that you're not," Vance said about Walz. "I'd be ashamed if I was saying that I lied about my military service like you did." The Ohio Republican has also attacked Walz for his alleged abandonment of his unit before they were ordered to deploy to Iraq in 2005. 

"You know what really bothers me about Tim Walz as a Marine who served his country in uniform? When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it. I did it because they asked me to do it, and I did it honorably, and I'm very proud of that service. When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. A fact that he's been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people who he served with. I think it's shameful to prepare your unit to go to Iraq, to make a promise that you're going to follow through, and then drop out right before you actually have to go."

A spokesman for the Minnesota National Guard, Army Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, explained to Fox News that Walz submitted his retirement papers five to seven months before officially retiring from the Guard in May 2005. "Minnesota National Guard's 1st battalion, 125th Field Artillery, received an alert order for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005. The official Department of the Army mobilization order was received on August 14, 2005, and the unit mobilized on October 12, 2005." 

However, in a March 2005 press release, Walz said that he would deploy to Iraq if he was called upon, and he made no mention of his intention to retire from his unit. "As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq," Walz said at the time. "I don't want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race. I am fortunate to have a strong group of enthusiastic supporters and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Both will be a major part of my campaign, whether I am in Minnesota or Iraq."

The Harris campaign has defended Walz's 24-year military career, explaining, "After 24 years of military service, Governor Walz retired in 2005 and ran for Congress, where he chaired Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform. And as vice president of the United States, he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families,"

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