Vance Accuses Walz of "Stolen Valor" Over Iraq War Claims

Ohio Republican Senator J.D. Vance has accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz of "stolen valor" for claiming to have fought in the Iraq War. Walz, who is running as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, has acknowledged that he never saw combat during his time in the Army National Guard.

Ohio Republican Senator J.D. Vance has accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz of "stolen valor" for claiming to have fought in the Iraq War.

Walz, who is running as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, has acknowledged that he never saw combat during his time in the Army National Guard.

Vance Accuses Walz of "Stolen Valor" Over Iraq War Claims

In a video posted by the Harris campaign, Walz says, "I spent 25 years in the Army, and I hunt. I’ve been voting for commonsense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war that I carried in war are only carried in war."

Vance responded to the video on Twitter, saying, "Stolen valor is a serious crime, and it's especially despicable when it's committed by someone who is running for office. Tim Walz should be ashamed of himself."

Vance Accuses Walz of "Stolen Valor" Over Iraq War Claims

Walz has defended his use of the term "carried in war," saying that he was referring to his training with military weapons. However, critics have pointed out that Walz never deployed to Iraq and therefore never carried weapons in a combat zone.

Walz joined the Army National Guard in 1981 and retired in 2005. He rose to the rank of command sergeant major but never saw combat. In a 2018 interview with Minnesota Public Radio, Walz said, "I know that there are certainly folks that did far more than I did. I know that."

Vance Accuses Walz of "Stolen Valor" Over Iraq War Claims

Walz retired from the military months after his battalion received a warning order that it would be deployed to Iraq. Service member Thomas Behrends went in his place, prompting Behrends to slam Walz as "a traitor" and "coward" for retiring before deploying.

Despite never seeing combat, Walz has portrayed himself as a gun advocate and hunter. He has received high marks from pro-gun groups such as the NRA, which awarded him an A rating for his commitment to protecting gun ownership.

Vance Accuses Walz of "Stolen Valor" Over Iraq War Claims

However, Walz has since changed his tune on gun control. In 2017, he announced that he was donating the roughly $18,000 he received from the NRA to charity. In the following year, he joined fellow Democrats in calling for gun control measures, including banning so-called assault weapons.

Walz's evolving views on gun control have drawn criticism from both sides. Gun rights advocates accuse him of betraying his supporters, while gun control advocates say he is not going far enough.

Vance Accuses Walz of "Stolen Valor" Over Iraq War Claims

The controversy over Walz's military record and his stance on gun control is likely to continue as the 2024 presidential election approaches.