From the Washington Post "Fact Checker," Glenn Kessler: "Assessing claims about Tim Walz’s military service/Republicans are attacking the Democratic vice-presidential nominee on his retirement timing and with allegations of 'stolen valor.'"
There's no "Pinocchio" rating. I'm not going to expend one of my gift links on this piece. I don't think it says anything inconsistent with my effort at reading the news yesterday, "The New York Times and The Washington Post address J.D. Vance's attack on Tim Walz's military credentials."
There may be some new info, such as:
"Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, U.S. National Guard (ret.), who oversaw overseas deployments, told The Fact Checker that it usually takes at least 90 days to process retirement requests so '60 days would be extraordinarily fast.' Manner said that the Minnesota adjutant general has the final say and could have blocked Walz’s retirement if he thought it would have had a negative impact on the possible deployment. A former top official in the Minnesota National Guard at the time, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid being entangled in politics, told The Fact Checker that there was no consideration of blocking Walz’s retirement."
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79 comments:
Nobody cares about whether the Stolen Valor did something technically illegal.
Most soldiers in the country understand how units in the armed forces work. You all train as a group to accomplish a mission. The chain of command is extremely important to the functioning of the unit.
Walz abandoned his unit when it went to combat and has repeatedly claimed he went to combat ever since he did that.
Walz was busted down to E8 because he betrayed his unit. You don't get to keep your rank at E9 unless you fulfill the responsibilities at that rank. All of the soldiers under him had to go and bear the responsibility he shirked. Some of them died.
Walz betrayed his unit. He was punished for it. He is a POS.
to be fair.. Waltz is a member of the Democrat Party; so ANYTHING he does
(ANY THING, AT ALL) is perfectly fine, and legal, and okay, and praiseworthy..
It's NOT like we're talking about a Republican, mind ya!
Unit deployments take a lot of time to accomplish--between the WARNORD and the ultimate deployment, well over a year can elapse. My son is an Army officer, and has said to me that all officers O2 and above, and all NCOs E7 and above are well aware of any potential deployment almost a year in advance--it's not like the uniform command says "Hmm, I need a unit in this location for this purpose--who shall I send?" In fact, when my son was in the 101st, he knew his brigade was going to be deployed a year in advance of the plan, which was obviated by the COVID outbreak in 2021. He says the whole Walz story stinks from the timing of the retirement request, the retired rank claims, and the statements that he was in a war zone, carrying a weapon. Many of his ROTC friends opted for National Guard, and he can't think of one of them who would pull a stunt like this. He's now a SF OD-A officer, so he won't be going into deployments with a Blue Falcon (Buddy Fu***er) like Walz.
The miss/disinformation from Trumpists will continue no matter how many times either the National Guard or others correct the record. Retiring from the military doesn’t happen overnight and my daughter put in her retirement paperwork at least 6 months before her retirement date. It’s really not even important, the military didn’t deny Walz’s retirement which pretty clearly shows that his not being there wasn’t going to harm the unit. He trained them and they knew what to do. The veterans that have been defending Walz have been smeared by Trumpists too. They have nothing left but hate and vindictivness.
"Retiring from the military doesn’t happen overnight..."
But he got his papers through in "extraordinarily fast": "it usually takes at least 90 days to process retirement requests so '60 days would be extraordinarily fast.'"
“They have nothing left but hate and vindictivness.”
Igna once again showing how these peeps project their shitty behavior onto their avowed enemy. She and they can stop pretending they operate honestly in good faith and fuck right off.
Hilarious that people can live in an alternate universe like this and never realize how deluded they are thanks to internet echo chambers.
"They have nothing left but hate and vindictivness."
Trump is the one who got shot at.
So much hate aimed at Trump.
otoh, Minnesota fat's dereliction saved some lives, when Sgt Behrends too over, on the other hand he made a whole career on this figment of his imagination which led to the lockdowns the snitch lines, the transgender bill
the burning of minneapolis, which spread throughout the country,
You'd think with Inga's avowed concern for the military she wouldn't be making excuses for Walz. But, the democrats come first.
Walz's former commanding officer explains the timeline - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj09nFnGKXg - on CNN.
Has iNag ever considered that they wanted such a loser out of the unit as fast as possible? I've allowed PCSs simply so I could say "hallelujah they're gone!" While they're new CO secretly damns me to hell when they find out the lemon they got 3 months later.
Walz is a scumbag. His superiors could tell.
Maybe the Guard wanted to get the processing done so they could move on to dealing with getting someone else into the position. Maybe they couldn't wait to get rid of him. It's not really about that anyway, it's about after he retired, what he, his wife and others have encouraged people to believe about his service that wasn't truthful and accurate.
Thank you, Mary Beth, that was enlightening.
This claim that Walz didn't know he was going to be deployed is bullshit. He had multiple conversations with his superior about it.
+1
"But he got his papers through in "extraordinarily fast": "it usually takes at least 90 days to process retirement requests so '60 days would be extraordinarily fast.'""
The video of Walz's commander provided by Mary Beth provides the reason it had to be done quickly. They were coming up on the time that retirements would have been denied because they were being deployed.
...there was no consideration of blocking Walz’s retirement."
Nobody cares about Walz' retirement check. That's not the issue. Duh....
Here's the thing. I feel so stupid for supporting the Iraq war, and supporting Bush/Cheney, I'm having a hard time being concerned Walz didn't go. I now wish nobody went. Another stupid. But I do understand and believe what Achilles writes above. I have never served.
The bigger issue is Walz being vague (at best) language, suggesting and claiming he saw combat in Iraq, which is not true, and leaving some purposeful plausible deniability loophole. That's insult to injury.
Walz had to know his retirement timing was going to look bad. Very bad. He did it anyway. Why? He has yet to explain what the reason was that was so important. He has said he was going to run for Congress, but staying in wouldn't have prevented that. so that doesn't explain it.
All this timeline stuff is just misdirection and spin. What is important is, 1) he bailed on his unit when they were going into harm's way and 2) he later claimed on tape on multiple occasions to have been in combat and he tried to use a false combat veteran status for personal and political gain. He wasn't in combat. He wasn't even in country.
Walz hasn't honestly addressed these questions. All we get is more deceit via surrogates. Man up Walz.
Of course, there's now also video of Pelosi introducing Walz as Afghanistan vet, thanking him uncontradicted for his "service on the battlefield."
Walz is the Joe Isuzu of US politics. Except this phony salesman sold himself. Any Dems who want to trade him in?
"Walz had to know his retirement timing was going to look bad. Very bad. He did it anyway. Why?"
He didn't want to get shot at.
Here's the thing. I feel so stupid for supporting the Iraq war, and supporting Bush/Cheney, I'm having a hard time being concerned Walz didn't go. I now wish nobody went. Another stupid. But I do understand and believe what Achilles writes above. I have never served.
The other issue is Walz lying, and taking credit for fighting. Being vague (at best) suggesting and claiming he saw combat in Iraq, which is not true, and leaving some purposeful plausible deniability loophole. That's insult to injury.
I'm just saying the second offense is the one that seems absolutely crazy to me. The second offense makes me think Walz is nuts.
Honestly, I'm increasingly suspicious that his retirement wasn't his choice; that he was given the option of a hasty retirement, or else some sort of disciplinary action. Either that, or his original promotion ran afoul of Guard politics.
Jay Weber on Milwaukee WISN this morning, was talking about and interview Walz wife did. She says Walz picked their wedding date, June 4th. He wanted a date he could remember. He picked June 4th because that's the date the Communist Chinese crushed the Tiananmen Square uprising. They Honeymooned there. Seriously.
Come on! That's crazy. Walz is a whack-job. Don't give me this "Midwestern Dad" bullshit...lol.
“The man who shot Trump was a registered Republican, why he hated Trump will never be revealed.”
No Pinocchio for you!
The National Guard brouhaha with W in 2004 cost Dan Rather his job. Haven’t seen any misreporting on this story. Maybe Walz can find some Guard buddies to vouch for his service in general. So far, the guys in his unit that are talking have shit all over him
Lying is about seeing combat is more than just a tall tale. It's crazy. Walz is the worst type of alpha-male.
Men embellish. Lie. Size of the fish you caught. Length of your manhood. Golf score. "I swear I never slept with her..."...
But if you found out one of your buddies was throwing around bullshit that he saw battle, and didn't...that's another level of being an asshole. You have to be a special kind of dickhead to do that. Off the charts. Not part of the "Midwestern Dad" code...
Lying about seeing combat is more than just a tall tale. It's crazy. Walz is the worst type of alpha-male.
Men embellish. Lie. Size of the fish you caught. Length of your manhood. Golf score. "I swear I never slept with her..."...
But if you found out one of your buddies was throwing around bullshit that he saw battle, and didn't...that's another level of being an asshole. You have to be a special kind of dickhead to do that. Off the charts. Not part of the "Midwestern Dad" code...
The comments on that YouTube video from veterans is enlightening, worth reading.
Perhaps the coasties won't care how Walz treated his unit but the people in the Mid-West will understand what running away your unit means. I have a relative who served in Aghanistan - twice. He was diagnosed with PTSD after the first time but he went back again because his unit needed his special skills. I told him he didn't have to go but he just kept saying his experience might save lives. It sickens me to see Walz pretending to be the same kind of man.
It's not just that he retired, he went over his commanding officer's head to request the retirement, while lying to him and saying he was planning on staying in.
So you’re choosing to believe Walz was on the side of the government when all the evidence is the opposite. Walz has criticized the communist government and praised the Chinese people that he taught for a year after college.
"why he hated Trump will never be revealed.”
Who doesn't hate Hiler?
I'm just saying that's the story his WIFE told publicly.
I’m a Wisconsinite, from Waukesha County, whose daughter just retired after serving 22 years in the Navy with one entire year, not just 6 months like Vance, in Afghanistan. The group she headed worked 12 hour shifts 7 days a week, yes no days off. While she was there the Taliban cut through the perimeter fence and attacked Camp Leatherneck/Camp Bastion. My daughter has defended Walz, she is also a Wisconsinite. There are other honorable veterans who served in a war zone who have defended Walz.
Good grief, Inga. Your daughter's not on the ticket.
Why hasn't he addressed this personally and directly? Why hasn't he held a press conference about this?
Stand up on your hind legs and explain yourself to the voters, Walz, instead of pretending their questions are unreasonable or answering them is beneath you.
" I feel so stupid for supporting the Iraq war, and supporting Bush/Cheney,"
Removing Saddam was the correct decision. He was a festering wound in the middle east, and his removal has been a benefit to the US and her allies. Dealing with the current government of Iraq, even as friendly towards Iran as it may be, is a far better position than trying to deal with Saddam. Or an Iraq that would have come after his death by natural causes or assassination.
@ Inga
Was your daughter on active duty in Afghanistan or was she working as a civilian contractor?
What are you talking about? I wasn’t referring to his retirement check. Are you drunk again?
My daughter was active duty Navy for 22 years, she was a FMF (Fleet Marine Force)Hospital Corpsman.
No kidding. She has an opinion on Walz being honorable, I just relayed it, just like other veterans have expressed an opinion on Walz.
Sounds like a terrific woman. Good job, Mom.
Ann Althouse said...
But he got his papers through in "extraordinarily fast"...
One could infer that they wanted to get rid of him. If one were so inclined.
I’m quite sure the wife isn’t praising the Chinese government for killing protesters in Tiananmen Square. It’s the opposite, they were on the side of the protestors.
Walz apparently went outside the chain of command to get his retirement done in time. Who expedited Walz paperwork and why?
Inga has been frenetically posting these days. Is your vibrator broken sweetie?
Thanks Bob, she’s a terrific woman, married (to a man). Right now she’s leaving for a veteran’s retreat in the wilderness of the Washington state for two weeks.
Ah, transfers to get rid of losers- instead of dealing with them!
Happens all the time- both in military and civilian life. Because people are too lazy to do the necessary work to cull deadwood from the ranks. Often because of fear of being accused of racism or sexism or some other ism where the accusation is enough to destroy a career. That you allowed PCSs for that reason does not speak highly of your leadership. A few times I've carefully documented why someone had to go- and got them gone. As in gone gone from the organization. If they became someone else's problem it was because they hired them, not because we sent the dirtbag to them.
Ironic isn’t it that George W Bush was criticized in the 2000 election for joining the TX National Guard back in the 60s, purportedly to avoid ending up in Vietnam. The Guard was supposed to be a safe haven. He ends up President, starts a war in a foreign country in 2003 and someone running now for high office leaves the Guard back then to avoid being sent off to war.
Disembold!
yes it is hard to understand the conspiracy group up in here on the trump shooting, the kid was a registered republican. It takes effort to sign up and register so why did a republican want to shoot trump? Oh guess we'll never know cause he's dead(maybe?)this group really are very deep in conspiracies MINUS PROOF of anything? In the courts that's called a LOSS Time to move from earth 2 to earth 1
w
Inga and Rich know so much about the military and the Guard. Let me ask these two champs. Does either of you have a DD 214.? Do either of you know what a DD 214 is? Mine is now almost 50 years old. It was issued upon my honorable discharge from the National Guard and Army Reserve (I served in two different units for a total of 6 years). You two show me your 214s and I'll show you mine. As Senile Old Joe snarled--when challenging Trump to a debate (or at least reading the teleprompter) you two can "Make my day pal!"
"the kid was a registered republican."
Who donated money to the Democrats. Well, according to NPR, anyway.
That’s nice, wonderful. My daughter served for 22 years in the Navy as a FMF Corpsman, was attached to the Marines twice in her 22 years for several years and she spent an entire year in Afghanistan, but 6 years is ok.
"60 days would be extraordinarily fast." IOW, exactly as expected for someone as well-connected in MN's DFL party as Tampon Timmie.
Walz is just a terrible person, so it's irritating that this issue, of all things, has become the most prominent. Who cares?! I thought we all agreed that the Iraq war was bad now. If Walz skipped out on it, good for him. Drop the subject and go after him on the really terrible stuff.
@Gospace
So have I. But if there's a sandbagging problem child who says they want to go somewhere else I'm not putting my mission or my unit at risk from someone unwilling to give me 100%. That's not fair to my people either. They want out, I say, "here's the fucking door."
Coincidentally, Walz retirement not only kept him from the deployment, but it also meant that he did not make Command Sergeant Major, but only had the provisional assignment. To make Command Sergeant Major a permanent rank, he had to sign documents acknowledging that he had to complete the 2-yr correspondence course AND complete 2 years of service after completing the school or promotion to CSM, whichever is later. As he didn't complete the requirements he was reduced to E-8 at retirement.
Both issues are related and solely under Walz's control
Said he went to war: he did not.
Said he retired as a CSM: he did not.
Inga, you are displaying confirmation bias by ignoring evidence that does not support your thesis.
" not just 6 months like Vance, in Afghanistan."
This right here is why nobody believes that there's anything honorable about you or anybody else, including your daughter, defending Walz. If you have specific evidence that a 20-something enlisted Marine from Podunk OH did anything other than go when and where the USMC told him just like your daughter, please present it. Turn-Tail Timmy Walz used his position and connections to bail out of an assignment he didn't want to complete after making specific commitments in order to qualify for promotion.
Friday night dump from Harris-Walz campaign confirms Walz has been lying about his service record.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz "misspoke" in a 2018 video circulated by the Harris campaign earlier this week that included the vice presidential candidate talking about his handling of weapons "in war," a campaign spokesperson said Friday.
Also at the link
In an interview on CNN Tim Walz's former Command Sergeant Major Doug Julin, who gave a damning interview, indicating that the Minnesota governor knew about his unit’s deployment to Iraq in late 2004, a good six-to-seven months of foreknowledge before turning in his retirement papers.
I don't get how pointing out that the man who aspires to be one heartbeat away from the job of commander in chief, in a political party that is heavily biased towards war avoided allowing the military to make use of the investment in training that it made in him is "hateful," but maybe that's just me.
Did his paychecks from the Army bounce or something?
So...Walz is guilty of "stolen valor" and Inga indulges in "riding on the coattails of another " valor. We thank your daughter for her service.
No, Inga. Walz and his wife are socialists and admire socialists and their policies. Walzs' wife had her windows open during the Minneapolis riots so she could smell capitalism burning.
Military members publicly arguing over the superiority of their service is Tiresome. I gather that’s an internal armed forces thing – comparing length of service, rank, deployments, etc.
I’m a civilian. Unless you’re a war hero like John McCain, I just don’t care. Leave your inner-service squabbles out of my politics.
@ Inga You don't have the slightest idea what the fuck you're talking about.
Stop hiding behind your daughter's service to spew your bullshit. You have no idea what you're talking about.
Having a family member in the service isn't the same as actually BEING in the service. Stop using your daughter as a way to establish credibility. You have none.
I'll be sure to seek your approval before making any further comments. Thanks for the tip.
When Walz retired they gave him an ARCOM. An Army Commendation Medal. Most enlisted over E-7 get at least a Meritorious Service Medal (MSM). This is a slap in the face on exit.
Also, Walz's Brigade CSM was on CNN laying out the timeline. He knew exactly what he was doing.
Not his Commanding Officer. That was the Brigade CSM. His rater.
His award history, or lack thereof, reflects this.
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