Vice presidential candidate pick for Democrat presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, has reportedly listed on his official biography a higher military rank than the one he retired with.
“Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded, as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9,” Breitbart News reported.
Walz’ official bio claims that “after 24 years in the Army National Guard, Command Sergeant Major Walz retired from the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in 2005. Tim won his first election to the United States House of Representatives in 2006 and was re-elected for another five terms serving Minnesota’s First Congressional District in Southern Minnesota.”
However, the Minnesota National Guard’s State Public Affairs Officer, Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, confirmed to Breitbart News that Walz did not retire as an E-9.
Two retired Army Command Sergeant Majors, Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr, wrote in a letter that Walz on September 17, 2004, was “conditionally promoted” to Command Sergeant Major but then later failed to meet the conditions of the promotion.
“On September 17th, 2004 he was conditionally promoted to Command Sergeant Major. The conditions had been outlined to him when he was counseled and he signed the Statement of Agreement and Certification. If the conditions are not met, the promotion is null and void, like it never happened,” they wrote.
“On May 16th, 2005 he quit, leaving the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion and its Soldiers hanging; without its senior Non-Commissioned Officer, as the battalion prepared for war. His excuse to other leaders was that he needed to retire in order to run for congress. Which is false, according to a Department of Defense Directive, he could have run and requested permission from the Secretary of Defense before entering active duty; as many reservists have,” the letter continued,
“If he had retired normally and respectfully, you would think he would have ensured his retirement documents were correctly filled out and signed, and that he would have ensured he was reduced to Master Sergeant for dropping out of the academy. Instead he waited for the paperwork to catch up to him. His official retirement document states, SOLDIER NOT AVAILABLE FOR SIGNATURE.”
