Leader of Walz's unit breaks his silence: When demands got real, 'he chose another path'

The leader of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's unit while he was in the National Guard is speaking out to give his perspective about Walz's decision to retire sooner than planned in order to avoid deployment to Iraq so that he could run for Congress.

The Democrats' new vice presidential nominee's military service and comments he has made about it have come under intense scrutiny, as he made it appear, on multiple occasions, that he served in a combat zone, when he did not, and retired as a command sergeant major, when he instead officially retired as a master sergeant.

John Kolb would have been Walz's boss if he had not left the service before the deployment.

The issue has followed Walz since he started his political career.

In a Facebook post, Kolb said, "I do not regret Tim Walz retired early" because the man who replaced him, Thomas Behrends, turned out to be an exemplary leader and was needed during their unit's tough mission to Iraq. He went on to criticize Walz for falsely claiming to be a retired command sergeant major for years.

"Thomas Behrends was the right leader at the right time. He sacrificed to answer the call, leaving his family, business and farming-partner brother to train, lead and care for soldiers. He earned the privilege of being called Command Sergeant Major. Like a great leader he ran toward and not away from the guns," Kolb wrote.

"It was [Walz's] right to retire early. I also have no criticism of his service as an E7 and E8 in the MNARNG. By all accounts and on the record, he was a competent Chief of Firing Battery/Gunnery Sergeant and First Sergeant. I cannot say the same of his service sitting, frocked, in the CSM chair," Kolb continued. "He did not earn the rank or successfully complete any assignment as an E9. It is an affront to the Noncommissioned Officer Corps that he continues to glom onto the title. I can sit in the cockpit of an airplane, it does not make me a pilot. Similarly, when the demands of service and leadership at the highest level got real, he chose another path."

Kolb is just the latest among a host of other National Guardsmen who were in Walz's unit and went to Iraq who have since criticized the governor for leaving the unit and not going to Iraq. The issue has followed Walz since he started his political career, but it has gained nationwide attention since Vice President Kamala Harris added Walz to the Democratic ticket.

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