Yes or no question for you.

Did Walz deploy for a year, in 2003-2004, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom?

No.

"Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism." [0]

"Walz deployed in August 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Minnesota National Guard told CBS News the battalion supported security missions at various locations in Europe and Turkey. Walz was stationed at Vicenza, Italy, at the time and returned to Minnesota in April 2004." [1]

So, as someone who actually deployed to Afghanistan with 270 days of boots on the ground from Dec2010-Sep2011, you and all of the other folks defending Walz can take a long walk off a short pier.

Walz is a classic case of stolen valor. His non-command of integrity is typical of his party.

The knobs bombing my karma on this thread can get stuffed.

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Enduring_Freedom

[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tim-walz-military-record/

Operation Enduring Freedom wasn't strictly limited to Afghanistan. I was there too, before you were, and for longer. Wasn't my first deployment, either. I don't know or care about anything Waltz or whatever his name is.

So he spent less than a year, in Italy.

I don't see the problem.

It takes a lot of people around the world to support such a military operation.

Walz has now been denounced by his replacement, his chaplain, and his Commanding Officer.

You are perfectly within your rights to continue defending this abject piece of work.

Understand that veterans do both understand that life is messy and junk happens...but also that, when it's obvious that the person in question is a total piece of work like Walz, the knives come out.

I'm Australian and from a family with a loooong military association (going back at the very least to the Crimean War (1850s)).

With zero interests in the partisan political aspects of this, from a purely grunt on the ground, cog in the machine PoV, if it was true that he was "deployed in August 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom" then he was part of that Operation even if that service was greasing wheels on vehicles in Italy.

These Operations sprawl larger than the pointy parts faced off across valleys, and those who serve generally STFU and do what they are told.

I get that he didn't have boots on the killing grounds, I have to assume that had he been deployed to a front line position then he would have gone as instructed.

=> "for a year"

And yes, I grasp that military efforts have some sprawl to them.

"...had he been deployed to a front line position then he would have gone as instructed."

It is clear that Walz had knowledge of the schedule, bagged out, and then let his actions be mis-characterized for years.

Even Walz's former boss is critical => https://redstate.com/bonchie/2024/08/09/bombshell-tim-walz-f...

So you are telling me that my wife, in her two year-long non-combat deployments as part of the Reserve, did not actually serve as part of Operation Enduring Freedom?

Fuck off.

My grandpa got enough of that shit as a quartermaster in WWII Italy, when people considered him a lesser solider because he wasn't on the front lines.

Magnificent strawmanning.

I answered your "yes or no question" with specifics, and you ignored the specifics.

This places your arguments on Walz footing.