Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is under scrutiny after Lieutenant Colonel John Kolb, his former battalion commander, accused him of stolen valor and misrepresenting his military service. Kolb’s remarks have intensified the controversy surrounding Gov. Walz, who recently became the Democratic vice-presidential candidate.
Kolb, who led the battalion where Gov. Walz served before retiring from the Minnesota Army National Guard, expressed no regret over Walz’s early retirement. According to Kolb, Walz left the Guard before completing the Sergeants Major Academy and did not fulfill any assignments as a Sergeant Major. Kolb suggested that Walz’s early departure was beneficial, allowing for more capable leadership under Thomas Behrends during the battalion’s deployment to Iraq.
Kolb contrasted Behrends’ dedication and sacrifices with Gov. Walz’s decision to step away. “He earned the privilege of being called Command Sergeant Major,” Kolb stated, emphasizing that Behrends answered the call of duty, leaving his family and business behind. Kolb further criticized Walz, claiming his assertion of having earned the rank of E9 is an affront to the Noncommissioned Officer Corps.
In a sharp analogy, Kolb remarked, “I can sit in the cockpit of an airplane, it does not make me a pilot. Similarly, when the demands of service and leadership at the highest level got real, he chose another path.”
As Gov. Walz campaigns alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, this criticism from a respected military leader could pose significant challenges, bringing his military service record into the spotlight.
