The former chaplain of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s (D) National Guard unit described him as “cowardly” for retiring and leaving his unit right before a possible deployment.
“In our world, to drop out after a WARNORD [warning order] is issued is cowardly, especially for a senior enlisted guy,” Bjertness explained to the outlet.
On Thursday, March 17 the National Guard Public Affairs Office announcecd a possible partial mobilization of roughy 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard. First District congressional candidate Tim Walz currently holds the rank of Command Sergeant Major in the 1-125th Battalion, which is based in New Ulm and largely composed of men and women from southern Minnesota. The announcement from the National Guard PAO specified that all or a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.
Walz, who teaches Global Geography at Mankato West High School, has been an active member of the National Guard since 1981. He has been previously deployed during his 23 years in the National Guard, including an eight month deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom.
When asked about his possible deployment to Iraq Walz said, “I do not yet know if my artillery unit will be part of this mobilization and I am unable to comment further on specifics of the deployment.”
Although his tour of duty in Iraq might coincide with his campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional seat, Walz is determined to stay in the race. “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq.”
“I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race. I am fortunate to have a strong group of enthusiastic supporters and a very dedicated and intelligent wife. Both will be a major part of my campaign, whether I am in Minnesota or Iraq.”
If called to duty, Walz would leave behind his wife Gwen and four year old daughter, Hope.
“Running for Congress is not an excuse,” Bjertness added. “I stopped everything and went to war. I left my wife with three teenagers and a 6-year-old and was gone for 19 months.”
Allan Bonnifield, a soldier who had served with Walz during his time in the military told MPR News in an interview in 2018 that Walz had “weighed” his “decision to run for Congress very, very heavy,” as he knew his unit was “going on another deployment to Iraq.”
The outlet reported on the 2018 interview:
“He weighed that decision to run for Congress very, very heavy,” Bonnifield said. “He loved the military, he loved the Guard, he loved the soldiers that he worked with, and making that decision was very tough for him. Especially knowing that we were going on another deployment to Iraq. He didn’t take that decision lightly at all.”
In a separate interview with the New York Post, Tom Behrends, who ended up replacing Walz, described the Minnesota governor’s decision to leave his unit prior to deployment as saying “‘Screw you’ to the United States.”
“He had the opportunity to serve his country, and said, ‘Screw you’ to the United States,” Behrends told the outlet. “That’s not who I would pick to run for vice president.”
Walz, who was recently announced as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, has faced accusations of “stolen valor” and criticism after the biography on his website had previously implied that he had retired with the rank of an E-9, or command sergeant major.
As Breitbart News reported:
Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded, as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9.
The Harris campaign later removed the reference to Walz being a “retired command sergeant major,” and updated Walz’s biography to highlight that the governor had “once served at the command sergeant major rank,” according to Politico.
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