Thursday, August 15, 2024

Waltz’s military claims create headache for Democrats

In April 1981, two days after his seventeenth birthday, Tim Walz joined the Army National Guard. His father and sister were both military veterans, and as he would later say in a 2009 Library of Congress interview, "I think it was instilled in us. I never really thought of a time when I wouldn't join some branch."
He stayed in the Guard, first in Nebraska where he grew up, and then in Minnesota, through high school and college and beyond"24 years in all. Walz was eligible to leave the Guard with a full pension in 2001, but he reenlisted after the September 11 terrorist attack, because, as he later said, he felt a "real sense of wanting to do something" in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Comments

Not as much as a lisping, lying fraud creates for Republicants.

You ------- idiot.

#1 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-08-15 11:29 AM

You ------- idiot.

#1 | POSTED BY LEGALLYYOURDEAD

He's a ------- fascist idiot.

#2 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 11:31 AM

POSTED BY BELLRINGER

I have no idea what you're trying to get to here, other than you think it's bad and it has something to do with the military.

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 11:32 AM

#3. His service is fine. I'll leave judgement regarding the timing of his retirement, ostensibly to avoid being deployed to Iraq, to those who served with him.

His lies about his service are what is the issue.

#4 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 11:37 AM

Zed,

Are you aware that you label ANYONE who disagrees with you as a fascist?

It's a Pavlovian thing with you.

#5 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 11:40 AM

" I'll leave judgement regarding the timing of his retirement"

He put in for retirement BEFORE his unit was notified, and they didn't deploy until the following year, 13 months after he'd put in.

Intimating a defamatory lie is a mirror image of stolen valor.

It's akin to blaming HRC for not sending an emergency rescue team to Benghazi ... ignoring the fact the SoS isn't in the military chain of command.

#6 | Posted by Danforth at 2024-08-15 11:52 AM

" He put in for retirement BEFORE his unit was notified, and they didn't deploy until the following year, 13 months after he'd put in. "

According to those who served with him the unit was well aware the deployment was coming before it was official.

#7 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 12:01 PM

" Are you aware that you label ANYONE who disagrees with you as a fascist?"
~Bellringer, seemingly unaware his every vote ENABLES Fascists.

#8 | Posted by Danforth at 2024-08-15 01:08 PM

" According to those who served with him the unit was well aware the deployment was coming before it was official."

Links, please.

#9 | Posted by Danforth at 2024-08-15 01:09 PM

Another "deflection" that will go nowhere because no one cares.

But you can keep spinning your wheels trying while Kamala keeps surging in the polls.

Apparently it's all maga maroons have. Deflections. Deflections. And more Deflections.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

#10 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-08-15 01:13 PM

- According to those who served with him the unit

They said he had been talking about going into politics forever, and that no one was surprised when he decided to accept an opportunity that became available when it did.

#11 | Posted by Corky at 2024-08-15 01:16 PM

According to those who served with him the unit was well aware the deployment was coming before it was official."
Links, please.

Posted by Danforth at 2024-08-15 01:09 PM | Reply

Good luck with that. It's Jeff making up bs out of whole cloth again.

#12 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2024-08-15 01:18 PM

At least one soldier who knew Walz as well as any has defended him - despite not being a fan. Joseph Eustice, whose personal Facebook page today has anti-Walz posts, held the same job as Walz - command sergeant major of 1st battalion, 125th Artillery Regiment.

When the retirement controversy flared up in 2022, Eustice told local media that Walz fulfilled his duty.

"He was a great soldier," Eustice told the Star Tribune. "When he chose to leave, he had every right to leave."

Several other soldiers from Walz's unit echoed that sentiment, including a former brigadier general.

Eustice speculated the controversy could be stoked by sour grapes by a soldier who was passed over for the promotion to command sergeant major that went to Walz.

taskandpurpose.com

So even a MAGA says that Walz' chief detractors are political actors with personal grievances.

Go figure.

#13 | Posted by tonyroma at 2024-08-15 01:22 PM

And if Walz had truly been indispensable to his unit, the Army would have used its stop-loss policy and not okayed his retirement.

So any lamentations by former soldiers of his unit are simply them disagreeing with Walz' politics, nothing more.

#14 | Posted by tonyroma at 2024-08-15 01:30 PM

According to those who served with him the unit was well aware the deployment was coming before it was official.

#7 | Posted by BellRinger

Let's look at Bellringer's "issues"

1. Walz claimed to have been a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Facts: He is. Bellringer has an issue with him not serving in the combat zone.

2. Walz said, "We can make sure that those weapons of war that I carried in war is the only place where those weapons are at."
Facts: He did carry them. He just wasn't using them on the front line and never claimed to be. Bellringer still whines. JD Vance claims he served in a combat zone as well...although in a cool aid conditioned office for only 6 months.

3. Walz said, "Over the preceding years of watching us, and as our nation changed, and as our political systems became more difficult for all of us to understand, I stood one night in the dark of night on the tarmac at Bagram and watched a military ramp ceremony"
Facts: Again true. Bellringer is whining that he didn't go to Bagram while deployed but instead as a Congressman.

4. At least three former Guard members who served with Walz have come forward to accuse him of shirking his duty to his troops by quitting the Guard to run for Congress.
Facts: Dude served 24 years and decided to run for Congress. Oh and he won that election. There was a rumor they MIGHT go to Iraq. Nothing more when he announced his retirement. And he had announced his run for office months before.

5. Walz lied about attaining the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
Facts: Walz was promoted to Command Sergeant Major. But he never finished the paper work to retire from the Guard at the level of that.

Literally everything Walz said is true and there is zero evidence he left to avoid Iraq (actually likely impossible given he announced running for office months before that even).

But I guess that's not good enough for Jeff and Republicans.

#15 | Posted by Sycophant at 2024-08-15 01:42 PM

Are you aware that you label ANYONE who disagrees with you as a fascist?

#5 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

I sincerely think that you're a fascist, because you defend the behavior of fascism. Which you have again in this thread.

#16 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 02:08 PM

POSTED BY BELLRINGER

I remember what you people did to John Kerry, up to and including having sympathy for the Viet Cong he shot.

Up to and including dismissing the validity of his Purple Hearts for "insufficient shrapnel".

Military service means NOTHING to MAGA if it does not serve Trump.

#17 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 02:15 PM

DingDong tries to disparage an American veteran who served with honor.

Meanwhile democrats are celebrating lower prescription drug costs for Americans.

#18 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-08-15 02:40 PM

His lies about his service are what is the issue.
#4 | Posted by BellRinger

What lies? Be specific.

#19 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2024-08-15 02:47 PM

" Bellringer has an issue with him not serving in the combat zone"

Nope. Wrong.

#19. The campaign itself is claiming he "misspoke".

#20 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 02:50 PM

In no way am I disparaging his service nor am I disparaging his retirement.

#21 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 02:51 PM

In no way am I disparaging his service nor am I disparaging his retirement.

#21 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

Then explain what you're doing.

#22 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 02:56 PM

Last paragraph of the linked article:

" Over the years, there have been plenty of politicians who have exaggerated their military service"or falsely claimed to serve when they never did. On the one hand, it seems as though we can now add Tim Walz to that list. On the other hand, his transgressions appear to be more sloppy than venal. Whether his comments qualify as "stolen valor" is in the eye of the beholder."

For me, given the number of occasions he was "sloppy" with his wording, it seems more likely that it was deliberate. Also for me, this is a minor issue. I felt that because these threads are dom8nated by Trump headlines it might be fun to talk about a different topic.

#23 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 02:58 PM

" I sincerely think that you're a fascist ... .

#16 | POSTED BY ZED AT 2024-08-15 02:08 PM | FLAG: "

Of course you do. I disagree with your politics and in your mind that makes me a fascist.

#24 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 03:00 PM

According to those who served with him the unit was well aware the deployment was coming before it was official.
#7 | Posted by BellRinger

And how would they have known that? They were notified of deployment in July 2005. Walz retired and was given an honorable discharge in May 2005, which means he would have had to put in his papers for retirement in January or February 2005 at the latest.

Tim Walz's unit was officially notified of their deployment to Iraq on July 14, 2005, when they received an alert order. This was two months after Walz had retired from the National Guard in May 2005. Prior to his retirement, there were indications of a possible deployment. In March 2005, the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced a possible partial mobilization of troops, which included Walz's unit.

Joseph Eustice, a retired command sergeant major who served with Walz, mentioned that there were only rumors of deployment at the time of Walz's retirement and that he had every right to leave.

Rumors of deployment aligned with Walz's very outspoken intent to run for Congress before those rumors underscore Walz's clear intent: to retire and run for congress, not abandon his unit before deployment.

And here's your fnkcin' sauce:

apnews.com
www.cbsnews.com
www.newsnationnow.com
www.factcheck.org

#25 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2024-08-15 03:01 PM

headlines it might be fun to talk about a different topic.
#23 | Posted by BellRinger

Oh, so much fun to discuss a topic that actually doesn't matter.

The guy served 24 years. That's all anyone needs to know; apparently you agree.

#26 | Posted by rstybeach11 at 2024-08-15 03:03 PM

Literally everything Walz said is true and there is zero evidence he left to avoid Iraq (actually likely impossible given he announced running for office months before that even).
- speaks with forkedtongue.

The unit knew they would go 18 months before the actual orders came through. This has been verbalized in an interview with this fellow soldiers.

Just like I knew Google was going to have layoffs 8 months before they were announced.

Word of mouth gets around. People know before it actually happens.

#27 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-08-15 03:16 PM

Facts: Walz was promoted to Command Sergeant Major. But he never finished the paper work to retire from the Guard at the level of that.
- speaks with forkedtongue

This is FALSE.

He was provisionally promoted and had to complete 700+ hours of classroom work to be formally promoted.

#28 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-08-15 03:17 PM

Walz constantly used the CSM rank even though he never actually attended it.

I don't see why we are gaslighting Americans when clearly he embellished his service record.

#29 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-08-15 03:20 PM

Stolen Valor

The Lincoln Project

www.youtube.com

1 min

#30 | Posted by Corky at 2024-08-15 03:37 PM

"
William Martin
@wsmartin218
IN THE NEWS: Tim Walz having a *not great* day

ABC - Walz mischaracterized his military service

CNN - Walz lied about his drunk driving arrest

WaPo - Walz lied about Vance's record on pro-worker legislation

Fox News - Walz praises antisemitic Muslim cleric on video"

x.com

#31 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-08-15 03:41 PM

He achieved a high rank in his final months he didn't have time to deal with paperwork so he retired at a different high rank months before he knew his unit was going to Iraq. As for his other occasional implications is it not possible that he has served in war zones but that information remains classified?

While they're at it Republicans might as well try to go after him for helping out teenage girls.

www.politifact.com

#32 | Posted by Tor at 2024-08-15 03:46 PM

31 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER A

I asked you to explain what you're doing. Your silence answers my question.

#33 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 04:05 PM

#31 | POSTED BY BELLRINGER

You pose moral arguments on behalf or a man and a cause who have no morality.

That's pure MAGA.

#34 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 04:06 PM

"Walz lied about Vance's record on pro-worker legislation"

Vance lied when he said he thought Trump was Hitler.

#35 | Posted by Zed at 2024-08-15 04:07 PM

No headache for me.
I thank him for his 24 years of service.
Six times longer than Vance.
Infinitely longer than Vance's partner in crime.

#36 | Posted by YAV at 2024-08-15 04:15 PM

Trumpers truly concerned about lying?
(see anytime Trump's mouth moves)

About lying about military service?
(see #30)

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

People who promote Trump's talking points are Trumpers, no matter what they claim.

#37 | Posted by Corky at 2024-08-15 04:17 PM

Ballwasher is so far gone I expect he's acquired a lisp, in solidarity.

#38 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-08-15 04:42 PM

No headache for me.
I thank him for his 24 years of service.
Six times longer than Vance.
Infinitely longer than Vance's partner in crime.

Posted by YAV at 2024-08-15 04:15 PM | Reply

A whole lot longer than the author of this thread too.

#39 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2024-08-15 05:05 PM

The 300 lb sack of Putin's ------ says Pat Tillman was a sucker and a loser.

#40 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2024-08-15 06:58 PM

Military Service?

Who cares about it? That was twenty years ago. Trump had "bone spurs", he evaded it altogether. In Wartime when there was a draft.

It's just a distraction from real issues like policy positions.

It's irrelevant to him being vice president or anything else.

Move on. What he wants to do about Medicaid,Snap, SS, the environment.

These are real issues and I agree with him on them.

Republicans Harp on the Military Fetish because on policy they are -------- and Oligarch ----------.

They know their policies are unpopular and they can't win on them so they whine endlessly about "stolen valor" that no one really cares about but their own base, and mostly not even them.

#41 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2024-08-16 11:46 AM

Stinkerbell's an ignorant, lying, dirtbag.

Scum of the fuggin' earth.

#42 | Posted by Angrydad at 2024-08-16 03:44 PM

Walz is giving Tinkerbell headaches.

The poor dear.

Take an aspirin and SWALLOW IT.

#43 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-08-16 09:45 PM

@#43 ... Walz is giving Tinkerbell headaches.

The poor dear. ...

Yup.

Oddly, the supporters of fmr Pres Trump seem to ignore ...

Why?

Donald Trump In 2004 On STDs And Dating: It's Like Vietnam And Iraq (2016)
www.buzzfeednews.com

... Donald Trump has repeatedly compared the risks of dating to serving in war. In 1993, Trump, who received multiple draft deferments, told Howard Stern if you are dating, "you're the equivalent of a soldier going over to Vietnam." In 1997, he told Stern that dating was his "own personal Vietnam." ...

Trump made up injury to dodge Vietnam service, his former lawyer testifies (2019)
www.militarytimes.com

... President Donald Trump acknowledged to advisors that he made up a fake injury to avoid military service, because "I wasn't going to Vietnam," his former lawyer told lawmakers during testimony on Wednesday. ...

Trump attacks McCain: I like people who weren't captured' (2015)
www.politico.com

... Appearing on Saturday at the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa, the real estate mogul took his running feud with Arizona Sen. John McCain to a new level.

"He's not a war hero," said Trump. "He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured."

The remarks, which came after days of back-and-forth between McCain and Trump, were met with scattered boos. ...


Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are Losers' and Suckers' (2020)
www.theatlantic.com

... When President Donald Trump canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, near Paris, in 2018, he blamed rain for the last-minute decision, saying that "the helicopter couldn't fly" and that the Secret Service wouldn't drive him there. Neither claim was true.

Trump rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day. In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers." In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as "suckers" for getting killed. ...


Trump says presidential civilian award is 'better' than top military honor whose recipients are 'dead' or 'hit' by bullets (2024)
www.nbcnews.com

... Former President Donald Trump lauded a wealthy donor on whom he bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom as having gotten the "better" award compared to the top military honor, the Medal of Honor, because those recipients are often deceased or injured.

#44 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-08-16 10:05 PM

The Lincoln Project
www.youtube.com
- corky

LMAO Lincoln project

Can you get any more desperate.

#45 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-08-16 10:50 PM

#44

I can tell you are lying.

You're trying to hard.

#46 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-08-16 10:51 PM

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