A bombshell revelation has surfaced this week that could mark the end of Tim Walz’s political career. A photo, recently unearthed, shows Walz holding a protest sign reading “Enduring Freedom Veterans for Kerry” during a 2004 anti-George Bush rally in Mankato, Minnesota.
The photograph, taken by Michael B. Brodkorb, was captured on August 4, 2004, as Walz protested outside a campaign rally for President Bush in Mankato, Minnesota.
Tim Walz has consistently portrayed himself as “a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom,” the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan initiated after the September 11 attacks.
According to Free Beacon, it has come to light that Walz never deployed to Afghanistan, nor did he engage in any combat operations during his military career. His service was primarily in Italy, where he supported NATO forces but did not see action in the Middle East.
Was Tim Walz an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran, as he claimed when holding this sign at a political rally? pic.twitter.com/984QtXarEB
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) August 10, 2024
A video from 2009 recently resurfaced, showing Iraq War veteran David Thul confronting Walz’s aides at his Mankato office regarding these claims. Thul, armed with knowledge and evidence, filmed the encounter and pointed out that Walz’s assertions could be interpreted as violations of the Stolen Valor Act.
During this confrontation, Thul informed Walz’s aides that such misrepresentations could lead to jail time.
Thul presented evidence indicating that while Walz served in a supportive role, he did not serve in Afghanistan or engage in any combat actions. One aide admitted she was “not aware” of Walz serving in Afghanistan.
Thul went on to present the 2004 photo of Walz, holding a sign that says “Enduring Freedom Veterans for Kerry,” to another aide, who acknowledged that constituents could get the false impression that Walz served in Afghanistan.
Read more:
David Thul shared this photo in a blog post in 2009 detailing his concerns about Walz’s military record.
“My congressman, who publically attacked an Iraq War veteran for questioning his service, held a sign in 2004 claiming to be an Afghanistan War veteran. Even having an already low opinion of Tim Walz, I still couldn't believe my eyes. Tim Walz held a sign at a protest outside a President Bush campaign rally (the very same rally he claims to have had his conversion at) claiming to be an "Enduring Freedom Veterans for Kerry."
There are two medals that have been awarded to soldiers who served in Operation Enduring Freedom-the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (authorized by Executive Order on March 13, 2003) and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (authorized by Congress on May 28, 2004). Congressman Walz does not qualify to wear either one.
Yet in this photo taken by Michael Brodkorb on his way to the Mankato Bush rally and posted last year on Minnesota Democrats Exposed, then National Guardsman Command Sergeant Major Tim Walz claimed to be a veteran of a war he didn't fight in.
Remember, Tim Walz's statement is that he re-enlisted after Sep 11, 2001 for 4 more years and did not retire until he decided to run for Congress (some time after this picture was taken). So he was almost certainly still a member of the MN National Guard when he held this fraudulent sign.
So the question becomes, how wrong is this? How bad is it to claim to be an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran when you are not? Reference the Stolen Valor Act of 2005:
False Claims About Receipt of Military Medals- Whoever falsely represents himself or herself, verbally or in writing, to have been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States, or any of the service medals or badges awarded to the members of such forces, or the ribbon, button, or rosette of any such badge, decoration or medal, or any colorable imitation thereof shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.' (Emphasis mine)
As my kids would say, "Ruh Roh Raggy".
Fortunately for Congressman Walz, the Stolen Valor Act wasn't passed until January of 2006. But there is no way for Congressman Walz to spin this photo or explain his way out of it. He claimed in writing to be an Enduring Freedom vet and he is not.
However, a retired Staff Sergeant, in an effort to clarify the technicalities, explained to The Gateway Pundit that Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) encompassed various global operations, not exclusively tied to Afghanistan.
He wrote to The Gateway Pundit:
OEF was the funding pot for Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) orders around the world inside and outside of Afghanistan. Kosovo , Bosnia, Egypt, Europe, ETC deployments/mobilizations all fell under OEF until something else came along like OIF which was specific to Iraq. It's a technical argument because of funding and Areas of Operation but technicalities matter.
I highlighted in read were you can see the Operations for each term of deployment/mobilization.
I'm a medically retired Staff Sergeant, I was Active Guard Reserve in the California Army National Guard for 17 years. I know the Guard very well.
I was on Operation Noble Eagle in 2002 to 2003 for Homeland Defense at Tooele Army Depot with Alpha Company 132nd Engineer Battalion.
I was on Operation Enduring Freedom in 2005 for Multinational Forces and Observers in the Sinai, Egypt with Bravo Company 579th Engineer Battalion.
I was on Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012 in Afghanistan with the 2668th Transportation Company.
I spent 14 years on Active Duty of my 17 years Time in Service in the Guard. These aren't the sum of my career but I don't need to get into all of that, I just want to show the scope of operations/orders/funding.
Tim Walz is a fraud and a liar, but he chose his words carefully saying OEF vet because it's true but most people associate it with Afghanistan and do not understand how orders and funding work.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to include a comment from a retired Staff Sergeant, who provided clarification regarding the scope of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and its association with various global operations beyond Afghanistan.
