Now that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) has been selected as Vice President Kamala Harris's 2024 running mate, his past is under intense scrutiny, especially his prior military service. 

Walz's military record, according to his own recollection, is much different than reality. He's been accused of "stolen valor" for several apparently falsehoods he's told about his military rank and service.

One of those false accounts is a statement he made during a gun control speech about assault-style rifles that he "carried in war," except he never went to war during his 24 years in the National Guard.

According to Breitbart, even the extreme left-leaning Washington Post called out the VP candidate's "sloppy and false" claim that he engaged in combat in "war."

What's going on?

The Harris campaign released a video earlier this week of a 2018 speech delivered by Walz regarding the subject of gun control.

"I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war, are only carried in war," the campaign captioned the video.

Gov. @Tim_Walz: I spent 25 years in the Army and I hunt. I’ve been voting for common sense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war, that I carried in war,… pic.twitter.com/3IVaXi2RP2

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 6, 2024

"Assessing claims about Tim Walz’s military service," wrote Post fact checker Glenn Kessler, “"There is no evidence that Walz served in combat."

Breitbart noted:

Kessler added a seemingly odd caveat that Walz “has not claimed he did,” considering Kessler was writing in the context of Walz’s claim of carrying weapons “in war.”

“Walz’s language was sloppy and false. He did carry weapons of war — just not in war,” Kessler wrote in his official “assessment” of the comments.

That wasn't the only lie Walz has told about his military service.

Lying about rank?

Walz's rank in the National Guard also came under heavy scrutiny, according to fact-checkers.

Breitbart reported:

Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard and retired at the rank of master sergeant, or an E-8. However, on his official website bio, he lists a higher rank that he served at for a short period that ultimately was rescinded, as he did not complete all the requirements to serve at that rank. However, his bio implies that he retired at the rank of command sergeant major, or an E-9.

So, while he achieved the rank of Command Sergeant Major, as WaPo stated, it wasn't accurate to say he retired at that rank. He served as a CSM for some 7 months, but retired as a Master Sergeant.

There's no telling what else Walz has lied about during his time in state government. But I'm sure we'll be finding out soon enough.