Tim Walz served his country honorably for 24 years. JD Vance, Trump need to respect that. He earned it

As anyone who has served in the military knows, there are often good-spirited jokes about other branches and jobs. The Air Force gets called the "Chair Force" (we love this, actually) and so on. While not true, these jokes keep interservice rivalries lively and everyone on their toes. In general, we all respect each other and understand that whether you are kicking down doors, flying planes, gassing vehicles, or cooking food, you are willing to do what 98 percent of the country isn’t: serve for a cause above all others. This makes the attacks on Tim Walz, particularly those from JD Vance, especially sickening.

JD Vance was an enlisted Marine who served honorably. While he didn’t see combat (he was in public affairs), he deployed and served his nation. He got out at the end of his service commitment after four years. For his service, he should be commended.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Tim Walz joined the Army Guard, enlisting just two days after his 17th birthday, when he first became eligible, and served honorably for 24 years, achieving the highest enlisted rank offered. Then, he went on to serve as a champion for veterans and military families in Congress, leading the effort to pass a bipartisan bill to provide mental health services to veterans, leading a bipartisan effort to expand the GI Bill, and repeatedly voting to increase military funding. The nation should be proud, and JD Vance should be respectful of his fellow brother-in-arms.

I SERVED WITH TIM WALZ AS A REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE. HE'LL BE A GOOD VICE PRESIDENT

The attacks on Walz have proven to be not only false but also disgusting. I will debunk the attacks that have been floating around. But first, keep one thing in mind: Donald Trump not only didn’t serve in the military, but he actively avoided service by claiming he had "bone spurs"—a diagnosis he received from a doctor who rented his office from Trump’s father Fred that the doctor’s daughter later called a "favor." Trump has spent his political career denigrating veterans.

But it’s not just Trump’s words—his actions and policies are just as harmful to veterans. Trump proposed cuts to crucial VA programs as president.

With him, everything is a projection. In this case, he’s projecting his own bad policy and vulnerabilities onto Gov. Walz.

First Lie: Gov. Walz quickly exited the military after learning he was going to deploy, thereby leaving his men out to dry.

Truth: Gov. Walz put in his paperwork for retirement before his unit received alert orders for deployment. In fact, he served for four years AFTER 9/11 and two years after the Iraq War began. He did not leave at the first sign of combat. He stayed well past when he could have retired at 20 years.

Lie: Gov. Walz never made Command Sergeant Major.

Truth: He served as a CSM, and after retiring, was only reduced because he had not completed his professional military education and hadn’t served in that rank long enough to retire in it. To retire at a rank, you must have held it for several years. I retired as a Lt Colonel; had I retired before being an LTC for several years, I would have reverted to the previous rank of Major. There is no dishonor in this; it happens all the time. I would still hold the title of LTC.

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In fact, in the Army aviation branch, many officers resign their commissions to become warrant officers, a lower rank, so they can keep flying and do less desk work. This is common in the Army National Guard, and just because they did that doesn’t mean it was a scandalous demotion.

The attacks from anyone, especially Donald Trump, are a disservice not just to Gov. Walz but to anyone who served in uniform. Now, any military member thinking of running for office could be dissuaded because who knows how any part of your military record could be twisted or distorted to make your service look less than honorable. 

These attacks from the likes of Trump and Vance bode darkly for the future, and we must push back against this with everything we have. 

Serving in the military is honorable and must be seen as such, regardless of the veteran’s party affiliation. Donald Trump, a draft-dodger, doesn’t come even close to measuring up to Tim Walz and his decades of service to this nation. JD Vance should know better.