At a Democratic National Convention (DNC) event on Monday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was mistakenly introduced as “Command Sergeant Major,” a military title he did not retire with. This misstep comes amid ongoing criticism of Walz for allegedly misrepresenting his military rank during his political career.
During the event, a woman introduced Walz with enthusiasm, stating, “I am so proud to welcome our vice-presidential candidate, soon to be nominee for vice president, Command Master Sergeant and I’m going to start with the title that is very important to me — the Command Sergeant Major, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota.” She went on to describe him as a “joyful warrior” for the Democratic Party, drawing cheers from the audience.
In reality, Walz was conditionally promoted to Command Sergeant Major while in the military, contingent upon completing coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. However, instead of completing his service when his unit was facing deployment to Iraq in 2005, Walz left the military to run for Congress. As a result, his title was reduced to Master Sergeant.
Since entering politics, Walz has frequently referred to himself as “Command Sergeant Major” in speeches and public appearances, despite not having fully earned the title. This has led to accusations of “stolen valor,” a term used to describe the act of falsely claiming military honors or rank for personal gain.
The controversy has been further fueled by comments from John Kolb, the former battalion commander of the National Guard unit in which Walz served. Kolb criticized Walz for “glomming on” to the Command Sergeant Major title and for leaving the military as his men were preparing for deployment. In a Facebook post, Kolb wrote, “I do not regret that Tim Walz retired early from the Minnesota Army National Guard, did not complete the Sergeants Major Academy, broke his enlistment contract, or did not successfully complete any assignment as a Sergeant Major.”
The DNC will continue through Thursday, with Walz scheduled to speak on Wednesday, according to Minnesota news outlet Willmar Radio.