Published on August 8, 2024, 12:39 am

In 2006, a Minnesota military reservist who had served in the Iraq war expressed his disappointment with Democrat vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz. Tom Hagen, authoring a piece for the Winona Daily News publication, claimed Walz had misled people into thinking he had experienced active service in Iraq.

Hagen clarified, “Walz is giving the impression that he served in the conflict-ridden zones of Iraq. However, his real service was stationed in Italy.” He goes on to explain a clear-cut difference between Walz’s garrison service in Italy and the extreme dangers faced by young men and women serving in active combat areas within Iraq or Afghanistan.

Noting it as “disturbing,” Hagen points out that shortly after learning about his unit’s impending deployment to Iraq, Walz decided to take retirement from service. According to Hagen’s perspective – “For Tim Walz to give an impression suggesting his participation in active combat zones is unacceptable. Even more disheartening is his decision of leaving when experienced leadership was required.”

Walz then proceeded to respond to these claims via an article published by the Daily News where he defended himself without outright denying Hagen’s accusations. He ambiguously hinted at Hagen’s lack of honor during this exchange.

Currently working as a lawyer since 2013 after two tours of duty to Iraq, Tom helps secure federal benefits for wounded veterans. Meanwhile, some substantial criticism has come down on Walz for misrepresenting his military experience since joining up with the Democratic ticket. Notably, he frequently brought up having seen active duty while serving in the Minnesota National Guard—a claim that has been contradicted not only by veterans but also fact-checked by credible sources like CNN.

Even during his gubernatorial campaign back in 2018, we observe persisting pattern of such misleading presentations around his military experiences from Mr. Walz who referred himself as a “citizen soldier” who had honed leadership skills while in service. This narrative was primarily focused on attracting moderate voters with Harris campaign echoing these claims making things even murkier.

Walz’s selection as a running mate for Kamala Harris isn’t exactly garnishing positive attention. It seems to have opened them up to criticisms and attacks, notably from those who remember the controversy that overshadowed John Kerry’s presidential run when his misrepresentation of military record came under intense scrutiny, widely believed to have contributed towards his defeat. Similarly, we might see echoes of the past reverberating into Walz’s current situation.

Keeping in line with trusted news indicators for real news from a Christian worldview, it’s important for us all to consider what truth is being presented or concealed when political narratives are being shaped.