Veterans groups hit back at J.D. Vance for claiming Tim Walz had 'stolen valor'

LTC Kevin B. - Should people hate him absolutely not. Do people like me that it took years to tolerate fireworks again after being in theater have a right to call him out, absolutely. I spent eight months at a field hospital seeing what people do to other people, many civilians, many children, and perhaps if I had not seen that I would be easier on the guy. I have also been to Italy where he deployed and it is lovely. We have all seen people like Tim Walz that inflate their stories however he is running for the second highest political office in the country and I need that person to be smart enough to know this was going to be out for the entire country to talk about. Nothing wrong with never having deployed to a combat zone but he should have known selling that story was eventually going to burn him.

MAJ Byron Oyler - This story was already out there because it had been brought up in two previous campaigns (that Walz won). I suspect they knew it would be out there, but just didn't expect the right to act so venomous about it. I also find that surprising because these are the same people who defended GWB when he was flying the friendly skies of Texas during the Vietnam War, while also ridiculing Al Gore for being in the rear writing stories. These are also the same people who attacked John Kerry's combat service (which all turned out to be false accusations), while protecting that same GWB. And, JD Vance is acting all high and mighty when he wasn't out there kicking down doors and engaging with the enemy either (his role was very much like Al Gore's). And, he's doing so while being on the ticket with someone who used his family's influence to avoid serving all together. When taken in that broader context, this all comes across to me as nothing more than another clear example of political theater.

LTC Kevin B. - It is politics and Dan Quayle caught just as much heat in 1989 for only serving in the NG.

MAJ Byron Oyler - Quayle was paired up with a WWII combat vet who earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Democrats definitely couldn't find anything about GHWB's military background to attack, so Quayle was the "soft target". With that being said, it didn't help because GHWB won that election. I don't think this line of attack will help either.

MAJ Byron Oyler - Well I have told my daughter that because it's easier to explain to a child at her age. I've told her I went to Iraq twice. She said "you went to war?" I said yep. She's not going to understand at her age so I just leave it at that for her.

The Republican party of 1988 is NOT the Republican party of 2024 or the last 8 years. Be realistic.

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff - He acts like he did something special? How so?

I'll freely admit that I don't think military service is an indicator that someone will be good at governing. Most of the service members I got to know and respect, would be horrible in public office. They view the world in black and white. they make a decision and have little patience for feelings, power plays or office politics; and they expect the task to be done efficiently and damn quick. that's great in a military environment. it doesn't work well in the civilian world where everyone thinks they are royalty and must be treated as such.

I'll agree with you on the hypocrite stuff, but you have to concede that Vice President Harris flip flop on President Biden in the 2020 election cycle from primary opponent to running mate, and the change in rhetoric is cut from the same cloth.

MSgt Steve Sweeney - The suckers and losers nonsense is based on one article in the Atlantic with two anonymous sources. Only one of those sources claims to have directly heard it. The other claims to have heard discussion of it. Multiple sources that are not fans of President Trump who were on the trip deny hearing even a whisper of it. Give it up.

The "well joey down the street was doing it too" argument doesn't cut it. Governor Walz is running for higher office. If someone embellishes his record, intentional or not, he should correct it.

Maj John Bell - It is based on statements made by General John Kelly and his close association with Trump and comments made on more than one occasion. Are you implying that General Kelly is a liar?

The fact is, Walz is a democrat so people including fellow veterans feel it is okay to attack his military record because he is a democrat and certainly don't hold Republicans to the same standard. Character assassination of any veteran on a Democrat ticket is a go to tactic for the right, from John Kerry to, now, Tim Walz.