Kamala veep pick Tim Walz quit National Guard when he learned he'd be deployed to Iraq: Minn National Guard Sergeants Major

In a letter published to the West Central Tribune in November 2018 ahead of the election that saw Tim Walz win Minnesota’s governorship, a group of retired Command Sergeants Major of the Minnesota National Guard revealed that Walz quit the state’s Army National Guard when it became clear that his unit would be deployed to Iraq, but tells others that he retired one year before his battalion was deployed to run for Congress. On Tuesday, Walz was selected to be Kamala Harris' running mate.

"Tim Walz has embellished and selectively omitted facts and circumstances of his military career for years," the group stated. "We, retired Command Sergeants Major of the Minnesota National Guard, feel it is our duty and responsibility to bring forth the truth as we know it concerning his service record."

In the letter signed by Retired Command Sergeant Major Thomas Behrends and Retired Command Sergeant Major Paul Herr, they stated that Walz, on September 18, 2001, reenlisted in the Minnesota Army National Guard for six years. Less than two years later he was selected to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy.

"When a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer accepts enrollment in the course, they accept three stipulations." These stipulations were that "they will serve for two years after graduation from the academy, or promotion to Sergeant Major or Command Sergeant Major, whichever is later," a failure of the course could result in separation from the military, and "they will complete the course or be reduced to Master Sergeant without board action." The Sergeants Major added that the stipulations are put in place "because the academy is a college level school" and "the military invests a lot of taxpayer money in the student."

The 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion returned to Minnesota from a deployment to Italy in the spring of 2004, and Walz was selected to serve in the position of the Command Sergeant Major of the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion. Later that summer, Walz was photographed outside a President Bush campaign rally in the state holding a sign at a protest.

Walz was conditionally promoted to Command Sergeant Major on September 17, 2004. "If the conditions are not met, the promotion is null and void, like it never happened," they wrote.

A warning order was issued to the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion in early 2005 to prepare to be mobilized for active duty in Iraq. The National Guard Sergeants Major wrote that Walz quit on May 16, 2005, "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," they wrote, noting that "his official retirement document states, SOLDIER NOT AVAILABLE FOR SIGNATURE."

Walz was reduced to Master Sergeant on September 10, 2005. "It took a while for the system to catch up to him as it was uncharted territory, literally no one quits in the position he was in, or drops out of the academy. Except him," they wrote.

The 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion was deployed for 22 months beginning in 2006. While on deployment they were restricted by Army regulations from speaking out against a candidate in office, and Walz was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2006.

"He claims to be the highest-ranking enlisted service member ever to serve in congress. Even though he was conditionally promoted to Command Sergeant Major less than eight months, quit before his obligations were met, and was reduced to Master Sergeant for retirement. Yes, he served at that rank, but was never qualified at that rank, and will receive retirement benefits at one rank below. You be the judge," they wrote.

The Sergeants Major noted a November 2006 piece by Iraq War Veteran Tom Hagen to the editor of the Winona Daily News that stated in part, "But even more disturbing is the fact that Walz quickly retired after learning that his unit - southern Minnesota's 1-125 FA Battalion - would be sent to Iraq. For Tim Walz to abandon his fellow soldiers and quit when they needed experienced leadership most is disheartening."

Walz stated in response, "After completing 20 years of service in 2001, I reenlisted to serve our country for an additional four years following Sept. 11 and retired the year before my battalion was deployed to Iraq in order to run for Congress."

The Sergeants Major noted that Walz's official Report of Separation and Record of Service that Walz had reenlisted for six years in 2001, contradicting what Walz said, and "conveniently" occurring a year before his battalion was sent to Iraq.

They questioned his timeline of events, noting that even if Walz had reenlisted for four years like he said, his retirement date would have been in September of 2005, not May. "And he makes it sound like he 'retired' a year before his battalion deployed to Iraq; when in reality he knew when he 'retired' that the battalion would be deployed to Iraq."

"The bottom line in all of this is gut wrenching and sad to explain. When the nation called, he quit. He failed to complete the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. He failed to serve for two years following completion of the academy, which he dropped out of. He failed to serve two years after the conditional promotion to Command Sergeant Major. He failed to fulfill the full six years of the enlistment he signed on September 18th, 2001. He failed his country. He failed his state. He failed the Minnesota Army National Guard, the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion, and his fellow Soldiers. And he failed to lead by example. Shameful," they concluded.