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Vance Trashes Tim Walz's Service: Liberal Hero Under Fire

White House dodges being accountable yet again. Walz served his country for 24 years but was failed by orders that came too late

Published August 10, 2024 at 5:04am by

JD Vance smears Tim Walz's military record

Statement: “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.”

Ohio Senator and Republican vice-presidential nominee, JD Vance, launched a scathing and dishonest attack on Tim Walz, the newly announced Democratic vice-presidential pick and current governor of Minnesota.

Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who served as a combat correspondent from 2003 to 2007 with a six-month deployment to Iraq in 2005, attempted to discredit Walz's 24-year military career.

Vance shamefully stated: "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." He then falsely accused Walz of abandoning his unit, claiming: "He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. … I think it’s shameful."

Vance's accusations were echoed by Republican Representative Ronny Jackson, who tweeted: "Tim Walz TURNED HIS BACK on the soldiers in his unit because he was TOO afraid to deploy to Iraq!!”

However, the truth is that Walz retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005, having submitted his retirement paperwork months in advance. At the time, there was only a potential, not definite, deployment to Iraq within a two-year window for his battalion. The official deployment notice came after Walz’s retirement.

Walz has been open about his reason for leaving the Army, stating that it was to run for Congress. He filed his candidacy paperwork in February 2005, before the notification of a possible deployment.

This is not the first time Walz's military record has been targeted. In 2022, his Republican opponent criticized his decision to leave the National Guard. Walz has also been defended by fellow guard members who served with him.

Vance’s statement is a manipulative distortion of the facts. While Walz was aware of a potential deployment when he retired, there was no official order, and his battalion was given a two-year timeframe for a possible deployment. Vance's accusation is a blatant attempt to discredit Walz's lengthy and dedicated military service.

Vance Trashes Tim Walz's Service: Liberal Hero Under Fire

JD Vance smears Tim Walz's military record

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