As Republicans accuse Democrat vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of inflating his military record, his online biography has undergone a slight modification.
Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign updated Walz's online bio, removing a reference to him as a "retired command sergeant major," Politico reported.
The bio now says Walz once served at the command sergeant major rank, which was Walz's actual rank when he retired from the Army National Guard in 2005. Walz served in the National Guard for 24 years, retiring months before his unit deployed to Iraq.
Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican nominee for vice president who deployed to Iraq when he was in the Marine Corps, has hit Walz for the timing of his National Guard retirement and for inflating his credentials. Other Republicans have accused Walz of "stolen valor" after he mentioned using weapons in war, despite never seeing combat.
Walz did serve as a command sergeant major but reverted to the rank of master sergeant when he left the military because he had not completed required coursework for the higher rank with the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, Politico reported.
"The son of an Army veteran who served as a command sergeant major, Walz was the ranking member on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, where he passed legislation to help stem veterans' suicides," Walz's biography now reads.
Previously, it read, "the son of an Army veteran and a retired Command Sergeant Major in the Army National Guard himself," Politico reported.
Walz's online biography at the Minnesota state website refers to him as a "command sergeant major."
"Walz attained the rank of command sergeant major and served in that role but retired as a master sergeant in 2005 for benefit purposes due to not completing additional coursework," Army public affairs officer Lt. Col. Kristen Augé told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The Harris campaign did not respond to an immediate request for comment.
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