EAU CLAIRE, Wis — Attacks on Governor Tim Walz’s military record are resurfacing as he runs for Vice President. The attacks include claims Walz retired because he found out his unit was going to Iraq and that he inflated his service record.
KARE 11 looked into each claim and asked the Minnesota National Guard for answers.
Claims that Walz retired to avoid serving in Iraq have followed Walz since he first ran for governor.
They were re-ignited Wednesday when Republican Vice Presidential Candidate JD Vance took aim at Walz over a video posted by the Kamala Harris campaign in which Walz explains his support for restrictions on assault rifles.
"And we can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war are the only place those weapons are at,” Walz says in the video.
Walz never served in a combat area.
“What bothers me about Tim Walz is the stolen valor garbage,” Vance said referencing the Walz quote.
The Harris campaign responded with a statement saying, "In his 24 years of service, the Governor carried, fired and trained others to use weapons of war innumerable times. Governor Walz would never insult or undermine any American's service to this country — in fact, he thanks Senator Vance for putting his life on the line for our country. It's the American way."
Vance then brought up accusations by some former Minnesota National Guard members that Walz retired to avoid deployment.
“When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him,” Vance said at a rally in Michigan.
KARE 11 asked the Minnesota National Guard for the records.
In an email they confirmed Walz retired in May 2005 – two months before his unit, the 1-125 field artillery battalion received an alert order on July 14, 2005. The unit’s mobilization order came on August 14, 2005.
The issue has come up before as Walz has run for office in Minnesota.
Retired Command Sergeant Major Tom Behrens first leveled that claim in 2018 and again at a 2022 news conference saying they knew as early as March 2005 the unit would be deployed and that’s why Walz retired.
“He knew damn well what was going to be going on and that’s why in May he was gone,” Behrens said.
Walz responded by defending his service.
“We all do what we can. I’m proud I did 24 years. I have an honorable record. I served with literally thousands of people,” Walz said at the time.
He said he retired in May 2005 after 24 years to run for Congress.
“I simply moved on to try to serve something else," he said.
Others who served with Walz have defended him.
Retired Command Sergeant Major Joseph Eustice served 32 years in the Minnesota National Guard. He told KARE 11 Wednesday that he served with Walz and spoke with him about his retirement ahead of time. Walz told him he planned to run for office.
Eustice said there were rumors the unit would deploy to Iraq but nothing had been determined.
“I don’t know anyone who said he just did it to get our of a deployment,” Eustice said.
He says he doesn’t agree with Walz politically but Walz “did his duty.”
"I wouldn't vote for him, but this isn't about voting for him, this is about being honest about his service and he did his service as well as anyone did,” Eustice said.