Uncovered Press Release Reveals Kamala's VP Pick Broke Promise To Deploy To Iraq - 'As Command Sergeant Major I Have A Responsibility...To Serve If Called On'

Evidence of Democrat vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz's (D-MN) misleading statements about his military service is becoming more visible by the day as the Harris-Walz campaign attempts to do damage control to prevent the American public from knowing the truth about Walz's exit from the National Guard. A newly uncovered press release from Walz's first congressional campaign in 2005, before he retired from the National Guard, proves that Walz knew about his upcoming deployment to Iraq and pledged to deploy with his troops if they were called upon to serve.

Walz, who has been accused by Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) of misrepresenting his military service and lying about the rank he retired at, said in the 2005 press release that he would deploy with his unit despite his ongoing congressional campaign for Minnesota's First Congressional District. "As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on."

The March 20, 2005 press release, which has been archived online, is entitled "Walz Still Planning to Run for Congress Despite Possible Call to Duty in Iraq." The campaign statement explains that the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced that there could be a possible mobilization of Walz's unit within the next two years. Walz made it clear in a statement that he would deploy with his battalion as its senior enlisted officer if they were called upon to head to Iraq.

"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."

Despite his insistence that he would deploy with his troops, Walz would retire in May 2005, arguing that he wanted to focus on his congressional campaign, which he launched in February 2005. His unit would be officially notified that it would be heading to Iraq in July 2005. Walz's decision to retire just before his unit deployed to Iraq has been a controversial decision that has led to some of his fellow National Guardsmen to criticize him in previous gubernatorial campaigns and now in the 2024 race. Retired Command Sergeant Major Thomas Behrends of the Minnesota National Guard has been the most outspoken critic of Walz who, in 2018, during Walz's first gubernatorial run, accused the former National Guardsman of "betraying" the country.

"In early 2005, a warning order was issued to the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion, which included the position he was serving in, to prepare to be mobilized for active duty for a deployment to Iraq," Command Sergeant Major Behrends explained. "On May 16th, 2005, he quit, betraying his country, leaving the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion and its Soldiers hanging; without its senior Non-Commissioned Officer, as the battalion prepared for war." 

Walz has also been accused of falsely claiming to have retired as the highest enlisted rank in the Army, a Command Sergeant Major, despite not completing the coursework required for the rank and being demoted by the Army upon retirement. Gov. Walz has refused to discuss his decision-making surrounding his retirement and the multiple instances that he has misrepresented his rank in public, but the American people deserve answers about the potential stolen valor.

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