In a recent appearance on "Fox and Friends Weekend," retired Minnesota National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends launched a scathing critique of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.
Behrends accused Walz of deceiving voters about his military service record and the circumstances surrounding his retirement in 2005.
According to the Daily Caller, Walz's military service claims have been under scrutiny since Vice President Kamala Harris named him as her running mate earlier this week. The Harris-Walz campaign website initially described Walz as a "retired command sergeant major," but has since amended the language to state that he "served as a command sergeant major."
Behrends did not mince words in his criticism of Walz, branding him an "unforgivable coward" for leaving his unit before it was deployed to Iraq. He likened Walz's actions to a coach abandoning his team on the brink of a championship game. "What kind of message does that send?" asked Fox News co-host Pete Hegseth, emphasizing the significant role of a command sergeant major in a military unit.
Behrends responded with a harsh assessment of Walz's actions, suggesting that they were tantamount to desertion. "The message that it sends to me is, you know, turn around and run and just keep running. I mean, go crawl under a rock. Get the Hell out of here. Nobody even wants to mention your name again. Youre soiled, basically a traitor. Youre a deserter at that point, he said.
Drawing a parallel with the world of sports, Behrends compared Walz's departure to a star player opting out of a crucial game. The knowledge that you have at that point is very good because, I mentioned that with my family, this is like training for the Super Bowl. And then youre one game away, and Tom Brady says, Uh, sorry. I dont wanna get hurt in this game, so you go play for me. Its just absolutely ridiculous, he told Hegseth.
Minnesota Public Radio reports that Walz retired in May 2005, a mere two months before his unit received mobilization orders. Behrends claimed that a staggering 98-99% of those deployed after Walz's departure shared his sentiments. All I am is the messenger. He made the message, he stated. And I just happened to be the one that God said, you know, youre too dumb to keep your mouth shut, so go spread the word.
Adding to the controversy, Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, the GOP nominee for Vice President, accused Walz of "stolen valor" at a campaign event on Wednesday. Vance referred to comments made by Walz about carrying weapons of war in a war, as seen in a video posted by Harris' campaign headquarters.
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