PREVIEW

Walz Defends Military Record Amid Vance's Attacks at Solo Campaign Event. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz strongly defended his military record amid attacks from Republicans, particularly from his opponent, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who accused him of lying about his service, NBC News reports. Speaking at his first solo campaign event in Los Angeles, Walz emphasized his pride in his 24 years of service in the National Guard, stating that he served out of love for the country, just like others in uniform. Walz directly addressed his critics at the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Convention, saying he’s proud of his service and will always be. He stressed that denigrating another person’s service record is wrong and thanked all who have served, including his opponent Vance, for their service and sacrifice. Vance had accused Walz of misrepresenting his military background after a 2018 video resurfaced in which Walz discussed his experience with weapons, implying he had carried them in combat. The Harris campaign clarified that Walz "misspoke" in the video, and while he served overseas and supported forward units, he was not deployed to a combat zone. Walz explained that his 24 years in the military included serving in the National Guard, retiring in 2005 to run for Congress, which he won the following year. Walz also shared that his father, who served in the Korean War, inspired him to enlist in the Army National Guard two days after his 17th birthday. Despite the criticism, Walz remains focused on his campaign, participating in several events without Harris this week after numerous campaign stops with her last week. Walz's military service and the recent controversy highlight a key point of contention between him and Vance as they continue their vice-presidential campaigns.
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