Govt of Minnesota Tim WallsMilitary achievements have come under renewed scrutiny following the announcement by Vice President Kamala Harris Walls as her partner On the Democratic ticket.
On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance Ohioin, an Iraq war veteran, took the opportunity to take aim at his opponent’s military record.
Walls served honorably in both the Nebraska and Minnesota Army National Guards, earning medals and deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. But his final working days have been questioned, focusing on his position and whether he retired to avoid being sent to Iraq in 2005.
According to a CBS News review of Walls’ military record and reports from the Minnesota Army National Guard, Walls attained the rank of command sergeant major, but was demoted to master sergeant upon retirement because he did not complete coursework for the U.S. Army Sergeant Major Academy.
In Iraq, records show Walls retired before his battalion was mobilized and deployed to Iraq. A 2005 Report Walls was initially willing to deploy to Iraq amid his bid for Congress, according to his website. CBS News asked Walls for comment on when he decided to retire.
Photo of Walls in the Army
Walls retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery in 2005 after more than 24 years of service, the Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News.
Walls first joined the Nebraska Army National Guard in April 1981, serving as an infantry senior sergeant and administrative specialist. In 1996, Walls transferred to the Minnesota Army National Guard, where he first served as a gunnery staff and gunnery staff sergeant.
Minnesota National Guard spokeswoman Lt. Col. Kristen Ogg told CBS News that Walls “held a number of positions in the field artillery, such as expeditionary commander, operations sergeant, first sergeant, and ended his career as the command sergeant major for the battalion.”
Walls received numerous military commendations and achievement medals during his more than 24 years of service.
Walls was decommissioned in August 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News that the battalion supported security missions in various locations in Europe and Turkey. Walls was stationed in Vicenza, Italy at the time and returned to Minnesota in April 2004.
Controversy over the 2005 invasion of Iraq
On Wednesday, Vance reiterated claims that Walls retired from the National Guard to avoid being sent to Iraq.
“I did that when the United States Marine Corps, the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq and serve my country. I did what they asked me to do and I did it with honor and I’m very proud of that service,” Vance said.
He added: “When Tim Walls was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He left the military and allowed his unit to go without him – he was aggressively criticized by many. The people he served with.”
The claims first gained prominence when Walls ran for governor of Minnesota in 2018. At the time, retired Army veterans Thomas Behrendts and Paul Herr, both serving as command sergeant majors, Published A lengthy letter on Facebook accused Walls of “embellishing” his military career and deserting his Army National Guard battalion before his 2005 deployment to Iraq.
In the letter, Behrends and Herr said in early 2005, Walls’ division — the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — was scheduled to deploy to Iraq. At the time, Walls served as the unit’s command sergeant major.
From the time Behrends and Herr told the unit to prepare for an Iraq deployment, Walls told other Army leaders he was going to Iraq when he retired, but then resigned his post before the invasion to avoid going to a war zone.
Walls said he left the Guard to run for Congress Star Tribune. In 2006, Walls won election to Congress against a six-term Republican incumbent.
records program On February 10, 2005, Walls officially filed papers with the Federal Election Commission.
In March 2005, the National Guard announced that it would demobilize about 2,000 troops in part from the Minnesota National Guard, according to a documented press release by Tim Walls for the US Congress.
“I don’t know yet if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization, and I can’t comment further on the specifics of the deployment,” Walls said. March 2005 report.
The statement continued: “As the command sergeant major, I have the responsibility to not only prepare my platoon for Iraq, but also to serve when called upon. Even in Washington, DC, I am committed to serving my country to the best of my ability. Or Iraq,” said Walls, who was planning to drop out of the race at the time. He pointed out that no. “I’m fortunate to have a strong team of enthusiastic supporters and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Whether I’m in Minnesota or Iraq, both will be an important part of my campaign.”
Walz retired on May 16, 2005, the Minnesota Army National Guard told CBS News. CBS News has asked Walls to clarify when he submitted his retirement documents.
The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News that Walls’ unit — the 1st Battalion, 125th Artillery — received an alert to deploy to Iraq on July 14, 2005 — two months after Walls retired, Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman says. Director of Operations for the Minnesota National Guard. Official mobilization orders were received on 14 August of the same year, and the unit was mobilized in October.
CBS News reviewed A Minnesota Army National Guard deployment history shows that in the fall of 2005, the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion trained at Camp Shelby, Mississippi and deployed to Iraq as a motorized defense task force.
In 2018, Tom Hagen, an Army reservist who served in Iraq, wrote a letter to The Winona Daily News saying Walls had not been forthcoming about his service record and wanted people to know the future Minnesota governor had not served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Walls replied According to MPR News, the same newspaper criticized Hagan for insulting a teammate. Walls wrote: “There is a code of honor among those who have served, and usually this kind of partisan political attack always comes from someone out of uniform.”
Joseph Eustis, a 32-year-old sentry, commanded Walls’ battalion. said The Star Tribune reported in October 2022 that the governor had fulfilled his duty.
“He was a great soldier. When he chose to leave, he had every right to leave,” Eustis said.
Walls’ rank was Command Sergeant Major
Official Biographies of Minnesota Govt Website and Vice President Kamala Harris’ Website Describe Walls as a “retired command sergeant major.” However, documents reviewed by CBS News show that this is not accurate; While Walls served at one point as command sergeant major, he retired with a reduced rank.
Anthony Anderson, an Army veteran, worked with CBS News to routinely obtain military records from the Department of Defense using the Freedom of Information Act. similar Stories provided Walls’ recordings for review. CBS News has also requested documents from the National Guard.
One of the documents shows Walls, who retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005, rose from command sergeant major to master sergeant.
Soldiers promoted to sergeant major or command sergeant major are required to attend the Sergeant Major Course, or formerly known as the US Army Sergeant Major Academy.
Lt. Col. Aug., a Minnesota National Guard spokesman, told CBS News that Walls retired as a master sergeant in 2005 “for welfare purposes” because he did not complete additional coursework at the US Army Sergeants Major Academy.
Although Walls says he served as a command sergeant major in the Minnesota Army National Guard, his official biographies incorrectly refer to him as a “retired command sergeant major.”
James Laporta
