Unveiling the Truth: Tim Walz’s Verified Military Service Record

VERIFY addresses questions regarding Gov. Tim Walz’s military service, examining claims about his retirement timing and combat experience.

Following the announcement that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz would be running as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, his military record has faced increased scrutiny. Walz served nearly 24 years in the National Guard, retiring in May 2005. Republican Sen. JD Vance from Ohio, former President Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, suggested that Walz abandoned his unit before their deployment to Iraq.

“When the United States Marine Corps asked me to go to Iraq, I did it. When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, he dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him,” Vance said in a video clip shared on X.

Social media also buzzed with accusations that Walz had lied about his military rank and dodged deployments.

Dozens of readers asked us to VERIFY the validity of these claims.

THE SOURCES

WHAT WE FOUND

Tim Walz retired from the National Guard in May 2005, two months before his unit received an alert order for mobilization to Iraq. There is no evidence suggesting that his retirement was strategically timed to avoid deployment.

Walz enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard in April 1981, eventually transferring to the Minnesota National Guard in 1996. In February 2005, he announced his run for Congress while still in service, filing paperwork with the FEC on Feb. 10.

A press release in March 2005 from Walz’s campaign cited a National Guard Public Affairs Office announcement about a potential troop mobilization, which may or may not have involved Walz’s battalion.

Walz stated at the time that he was unsure about his unit’s mobilization specifics and declared his commitment to serve, whether in DC or Iraq. He retired honorably in May 2005, confirmed by an official separation record. His unit received their official mobilization order in August 2005, two months after his retirement, and began mobilizing in October 2005. They deployed to Iraq in March 2006.

In 2018, retired Command Sergeant Majors Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr wrote a critical letter accusing Walz of dodging deployment by retiring. The Minnesota National Guard confirmed that any communication prior to official mobilization in 2005 would have been an unofficial notice.

Walz stated he retired to pursue public service, a claim supported by retired Command Sergeant Major Joseph Eustice.

While Walz did deploy overseas, he never saw combat. In 2018, he made a statement implying he carried weapons in war. However, his deployment to Italy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom involved non-combat security missions at bases in Europe and Turkey.

Walz’s rank was Command Sergeant Major, but for benefits, his rank was reduced to Master Sergeant upon retirement due to incomplete coursework. His roles included firing battery chief and operations sergeant.