National Guard veterans who served with Tim Walz tell Megyn Kelly he’s a ‘coward’ and a ‘military impersonator’ for exaggerating his record

Four veterans who served with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz came forward Monday to publicly criticize the description of his service in the National Guard, as well as his decision to retire and run for Congress just before the unit was deployed to Iraq.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Tom Behrends, retired Brigade Sergeant Major Paul Herr, retired Sergeant First Class Tom Schilling and retired National Guard veteran Rodney Tow were guests on The Megyn Kelly Show to offer their criticism of Walz and the exaggerations of his service record.

The group detailed their frustration with Walz, especially after he decided to retire shortly after learning the unit would be deployed to Iraq in 2005. All four were deployed to Iraq without him.

‘[H]He told me and other sergeant majors in the meetings that you can count on me, I will deploy with my unit. His words in my ears and the ears of others,” Herr said.

The four veterans spoke about the men in their unit who died in Iraq, while Walz remained in the United States and used his military service for political gain.

They described his decision to leave the unit as devastating to army morale.

“That’s a morale-breaker. It’s eating away at the structure of the military and its ability to carry out its mission. And while it may not be legally wrong, it’s morally indefensible,” Herr said.

Schilling was in the unit commanded by Walz when he left and said he was shocked when he heard the news.

National Guard veterans who served with Tim Walz detailed their complaints about the frequent exaggerations of his service record.

National Guard veterans who served with Tim Walz criticized him for retiring after learning the unit was being sent to Iraq

“He just resigned and turned his back on us,” he said. “I don’t understand how he could do that morally, or that you have absolutely no integrity.”

They also criticize Walz’s decision to describe himself as a “retired Command Sergeant Major,” when he was only a Sergeant Major when he officially retired. (Although Walz was eventually given the title Command Sergeant Major, he did not retire as such.)

“On paper, he was literally a sergeant major, with a 14-day conditional promotion,” Herr said.

The group condemned Walz for repeatedly describing himself as a retired Command Sergeant Major, despite veterans accusing him of exaggerating his service record.

Walz is accused of skipping his National Guard unit in 2005 to launch his political career just before it was deployed to Iraq. He served for 24 years after enlisting at age 17.

Walz, who currently serves as governor of Minnesota, joined the National Guard after high school and served for 24 years in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery, rising to the rank of command sergeant major.

“If you knew my blood is boiling right now because Walz has done nothing his entire career but lie to cover his own bed,” Herr said. “That’s why I know. I was there.”

They said it was inconceivable that it was an innocent mistake and that Walz should have corrected the facts and apologized years ago.

The group also condemned him for allowing others to describe him as a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom, the military mission in Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. Walz deployed to Italy in 2003, but never served in Afghanistan or Iraq.

“You were in Italy… if you were drinking a latte and people were being shot, that’s a big difference,” Herr said.

Megyn Kelly is joined by four veterans who served in the National Guard with Governor Tim Walz and in his unit that deployed to Iraq

Democratic presidential candidate and US Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz

The veterans also criticized Walz’s initial refusal to deploy National Guard troops during the Minneapolis riots following the death of George Floyd, describing the troops as “19-year-olds who were cooks.”

During his political career, Walz also spoke of “using a weapon of war” in combat, even though he himself never served overseas.

“This man is an Army impersonator… he’s said it so many times it makes you sick to hear it,” Behrands said.

The veterans also criticized Walz’s initial refusal to deploy National Guard troops during the Minneapolis riots following the death of George Floyd, describing the troops as “19-year-olds who were cooks.”

Tim Walz and his wife Gwen Walz wave before boarding a campaign plane

Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz speaks at the Milwaukee Area Labor Council’s Laborfest

They described Walz’s description of the troops as an “insult” to the state’s entire National Guard.

When Kelly asked the four veterans to raise their hands if they thought Walz had “run away,” all four did so.

“Fear is a reaction. Bravery is a decision,” Herr said. “And Walz made the wrong decision. He is not brave. I call him a coward because he is. Because he took the easy way out. He took the path of least resistance.”