Both of this year's vice presidential candidates are military veterans, with Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance having been a Marine while Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz served in the Minnesota National Guard.

According to the Washington Post, an investigation has revealed that at least a dozen Veterans Affairs (VA) staffers have improperly accessed each man's medical records. 

Investigation concerns at least a dozen individuals

The newspaper cited individuals said to be familiar with the situation who said that VA Inspector General Michael Missal has shared evidence with prosecutors.

Among those said to have violated the law are a physician as well as "a contractor who spent extended time looking at the candidates’ medical files."

"We take the privacy of the Veterans we serve very seriously and have strict policies in place to protect their records," VA press secretary Terrence Hayes was quoted as saying in an email.

"Any attempt to improperly access Veteran records by VA personnel is unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Hayes added.

Walz accused of lying about why he left the National Guard

Meanwhile, questions have been raised about Walz's military service, including by the man who was forced to deploy to Iraq after the future governor abruptly resigned from his Minnesota National Guard unit.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Tom Behrends coauthored a letter with fellow retired Command Sergeant Major Paul which they sent to the West Central Tribune six years ago.

In it, Behrends and Herr accused Walz of lying about why he retired from the National Guard, stating, "His excuse to other leaders was that he needed to retire in order to run for Congress."

"Which is false, according to a Department of Defense Directive, he could have run and requested permission from the Secretary of Defense before entering active duty; as many reservists have," the pair asserted.

Former soldier says Walz never attained rank of command sergeant major

What's more, Behrends alleged during an August interview with Sirius XM's "Breitbart News Daily" that Walz did not attain the rank of command sergeant major despite claims found in his official biography.

"He didn't finish the school that [when] you get selected to be in an E-9 position, you sign a memorandum of understanding that you're going to finish the academy, [the] United States Army Sergeant Majors Academy," Behrends explained.

"You're going to stay in [the Army] two years after that because the military's got a lot of money invested in you, which is taxpayers' money," the former soldier continued.

"And then if you don't, if you don't do that, you basically get reduced to master sergeant and you're, that’s where you’re at. You're never, you are never given that opportunity ever again that I know of," Behrends stressed.