Published on August 7, 2024, 12:28 am

In recent breaking news, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris, finds himself at the center of an unfolding controversy challenging his military service record. Retired Command Sergeants Major Thomas Behrends and Paul Herr have voiced allegations against Walz in a letter to the editor of the West Central Tribune dated November 2, 2018.

Stating their cause as one led by duty, they put forth claims of dishonesty and evasion which they assert are backed by verified first-hand accounts from those who were in positions to gather this information during Walz’s service. They contend that data extracted from official documents such as his discharge form and reduction order lend further credibility to their assertions.

Walz joined the Minnesota National Guard in 1981 where he served for 24 years while rising through ranks up to Sergeant Major. However, his commitment came into question when he failed to complete all requirements for the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy resulting in a reduction of rank to Master Sergeant towards September 2005.

According to Behrends and Herr, there are other disconcerting elements littered throughout Walz’s military tenure including abandonment of his troops prior to deployment in Iraq.

Serving as First Sergeant during 9/11 aftermath, Walz committed six years more with intentions of graduating from U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy – a pre-requisite for enlisted members vying for promotion to rank of Sergeant Major. The academy requires two years correspondence coursework accompanied by a physically attended stage lasting two weeks in Fort Bliss Texas.

Agreeing with regulations is compulsory upon entry into this institution stipulating separation or reduction from service for non-compliance.
The mention underlines that these directives are guarded given potential financial implications on taxpayers who fund it.

Here’s where it gets interesting: Simultaneously serving as battalion Command Sergeant Major after being selected post-protest against President George W Bush in 2004; further controversies center around timing and intent of Walz’s retirement.

Walz was promoted to Command Sergeant Major under unique conditions where the rank is assigned while withholding relevant pay unless all criteria were met. Signatures made at this stage make it clear that any deviation could lead to annulment of said promotion. While he was aware of imminent deployment as the warning orders reached him, his choice remains questionable as he departed from his position prematurely leaving his battalion stranded without a senior Non-Commissioned Officer on May 16th, 2005.

The alleged reasoning given to his colleagues for such decision was political ambitions pointing towards Congress which Behrends and Herr stress as incorrect since Department of Defense Directive allow permitted service members pursuing politics after seeking permission prior to active duty engagement.

To add further intrigue into the mix, Walz’s official retirement document cites “SOLDIER NOT AVAILABLE FOR SIGNATURE”, fueling suspicions of impropriety during retirement process. The consequent demotion in rank and insinuations of subsequent hiding of military career elements raise an alarming flag on integrity.

Adding insult to injury is another retired Command Sergeant Major Douglas L Julin backing testimonies brought by Behrends and Herr citing conversations with Walz where he had categorically stated intent to deploy along with the battalion while simultaneously running for Congress.

With these mounting allegations painting a disconcerting picture against Governor Walz, investigations continue into establishing the veracity of these claims through fact-checks involving acquiring necessary documents, corroborative testimonials and delving deeper towards unearthing necessary information all aimed at providing real news you can trust straight from a Christian world view orientation.

Such efforts are enforced so that perceptions might not be tainted by potentially distorted truths possibly jeopardizing easy access to trusted news in an era already brimming over with misinformation fats hijacking mainstream narratives.