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More than 1,000 US military veterans and family members of veterans have signed on to an open letter condemning what they describe as “politically motivated attacks” on Democratic vice presidential pick Tim Walz’s military service by former President Donald Trump and his running-mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
The thousand-strong group of “veterans, veteran families, military families, caregivers, and survivors” said they are all “appalled” at the attacks on Walz, who retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard after a 24-year career that saw him ascend to the rank of command sergeant major, the highest rank for any enlisted person in the Army.
Because the Minnesota governor did not complete required coursework before retiring, his official rank for retirement pay and benefit purposes is that of master sergeant, one below the highest rank at which he served. Republicans have seized on this administrative reduction in retirement grade to accuse Walz of lying about his service.
Vance, a US Marine Corps veteran who served as a combat correspondent in Iraq, has also falsely accused his Democratic counterpart of deserting his unit by retiring before it left for combat even though his retirement papers were submitted months before the unit was notified of a possible deployment.
In reality, Walz enlisted in the guard as a 17-year-old in 1981 and officially retired on May 16, 2005 — two months before his unit was informed of the potential deployment. According to National Guard records, he became eligible to retire in August 2002 but served another three years before retiring, including during a deployment to Europe in support of the US invasion of Afghanistan.
“Vance’s recent comments attacking Governor Walz’s service record are disrespectful and deeply disappointing, especially given Vance’s own service—which we are also profoundly grateful for. But given Donald Trump’s long record of expressing disdain for service members, veterans, and their families, it’s unsurprising that his running mate has stooped to such lows,” the letter said.
The more than 1,000 veterans and family members also commended Walz, a former teacher who ran for Congress in 2005 following his retirement from the National Guard, as someone who “has demonstrated throughout his career a profound respect for those who serve, as well as their families.”
“His service, both in uniform and as a public servant, embodies the values of duty, honor, and commitment. During his tenure as Governor of Minnesota and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he has been a steadfast advocate for veterans and military families, helping veterans access the benefits they earned. He championed legislation to increase access to mental health care for those who have served and expand benefits for higher education,” they said.
“Where Trump and Vance seek to diminish the sacrifices of our military community and renege on our obligation to veterans, Governor Walz has always stood as a beacon of respect and support,” they added.
The attacks against Walz are reminiscent of debunked smears that were leveled against then-Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry during his 2004 race against George W Bush by a group called “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.” The leader of that attack campaign, GOP operative Chris LaCivita, is now one of the co-managers of the Trump-Vance campaign.
The open letter defending Walz’s service, which was obtained by The Independent and first reported on by USA Today, comes just a day after the Minnesota governor hit back at Vance’s attacks during his first solo campaign outing in Los Angeles.
Speaking to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, Walz said he was “damn proud” of his service in the National Guard.
“And I firmly believe you should never denigrate another person’s service record. To anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice,” he added.
