Overview:
During a speech in Shelby Township, Michigan, GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance criticized Democratic opponent Tim Walz for allegedly avoiding deployment to Iraq. Vance’s remarks come amid reports from former National Guard colleagues accusing Walz of retiring to avoid service.
Why It Matters:
Ensuring accountability and honoring military service commitments is essential for maintaining trust in our leaders.
Who It Impacts:
This impacts veterans, active-duty military personnel, and voters who prioritize military service and integrity in their leaders.
Speaking at a rally in Shelby Township, Michigan, on Wednesday, GOP vice presidential candidate JD Vance took aim at his Democratic rival, Tim Walz, accusing him of evading military service in Iraq. Vance’s comments were fueled by claims from former National Guard members who allege that Walz retired to avoid deployment.
The controversy centers on reports from Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr, both former command sergeant majors, who assert that Walz stepped down from their National Guard unit in 2005. This decision came shortly after Walz received a warning order about his battalion’s imminent deployment to Iraq. “I needed to hit the ground running and take care of the troops — and tell them we were going to war,” Behrends told The New York Post. Behrends was critical of Walz, stating, “For a guy in that position, to quit is cowardice. When your country calls, you are supposed to run into battle — not the other way. He ran away. It’s sad. He had the opportunity to serve his country and said ‘Screw you’ to the United States.”
Responding to these accusations, Vance, a Marine Corps veteran, questioned Walz’s commitment to service. “What really bothers me about Tim Walz, as a Marine who served his country in uniform?” Vance posed rhetorically. “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. … When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq … he dropped out of the Army.” Vance’s remarks highlighted his own military service, emphasizing the contrast between his record and Walz’s alleged actions.
Vance, the first military veteran on a major presidential ticket since John McCain in 2008, joined the U.S. Marines in 2003. During his service, he spent six months in Iraq as a combat correspondent. In contrast, Walz’s decision to retire has been a point of contention since 2018 when he first ran for governor of Minnesota. Behrends and Herr previously posted on Facebook about Walz’s departure, writing, “On May 16th, 2005, [Walz] 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.”
.@JDVance: “You know what really bothers me about Tim Walz, as a Marine who served his country in uniform? When the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it…When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq…he dropped out of the Army.” pic.twitter.com/h8Wce3QNAi
— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) August 7, 2024
Further criticism came from Dan Holloway, a former member of the 82nd Airborne, who elaborated on Walz’s role. “Walz would have been the Battalion Command Sergeant Major, the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer and arguably the most important leader in his unit,” Holloway noted in Newsweek. “And in the moment they needed him most, when they were about to deploy to Iraq, Walz chose to abandon his men to run for Congress. According to sources within the unit, three of his soldiers died on that deployment.”
The allegations against Walz have sparked a broader debate about duty, leadership, and integrity among those who seek to serve in high office. For many, the issue at hand is whether a leader who allegedly avoided military service can be trusted to make decisions affecting the lives of service members and the security of the nation.
This situation highlights the importance of accountability and commitment among those who aspire to lead. Military service is a critical measure of character and dedication, and voters must consider these factors when evaluating candidates for national office.
