What To Know About Tim Walz's 24-Year Military Career
2024/8/12
The NPR Politics Podcast
Q
Quill Lawrence
R
Ron Elving
T
Tamara Keith
Quill Lawrence: 蒂姆·沃尔兹在国民警卫队服役24年，达到高级军士长军衔，但从未参加过实战。他曾在欧洲支持驻阿富汗的部队，并在911事件后重新入伍。沃尔兹的军事经历成为政治攻击的目标，一些人质疑他在2018年关于枪支管制的言论中，错误地声称自己曾在战争中携带武器。此外，一些媒体和人士错误地将他描述为阿富汗老兵，而他并没有更正。虽然沃尔兹的竞选团队否认他歪曲事实，但这些疏忽或用词不当仍引发争议。沃尔兹退休时军衔的争议：他曾担任高级军士长，但由于未完成一些学术要求，后来被行政降级为军士长。这并非惩罚性降级，但他的竞选团队已更改网站上的描述，不再称他为退休高级军士长。
Tamara Keith: 沃尔兹在伊拉克战争期间退休，这引发了对其是否逃避服役的质疑。沃尔兹在部队可能部署到伊拉克的两个月前退休，这引发了争议，有人指责他逃避服役。尽管沃尔兹的退休行为并非违法，但其动机和时机仍受到质疑，一些来自其部队的士兵认为他应该留下。对沃尔兹军事经历的评价因政治立场而异，一些退伍军人认为此问题被政治化。人们将沃尔兹的军事经历与特朗普的军事经历进行比较，凸显出政治立场对评价的影响。沃尔兹竞选团队开始淡化其军事经历，转而强调其教师和教练身份。
Ron Elving: 对沃尔兹军事记录的攻击类似于2004年针对约翰·克里的“快速艇老兵真相”运动。对沃尔兹军事记录的攻击是一种政治策略，即使事实被揭露，也会影响公众舆论。将沃尔兹的军事经历与特朗普的言行进行比较，突显出评价标准的不一致性。对沃尔兹军事记录的攻击可能会影响选举结果，尤其是在选情胶着的州。
Deep Dive
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's 24-year military service in the National Guard has come under scrutiny. A 2018 video shows Walz appearing to claim he carried weapons "in war," despite not serving in combat. While his campaign clarified it as a misstatement, questions linger about instances where Walz didn't correct others misrepresenting his service.
- Tim Walz served 24 years in the National Guard, reaching the rank of Command Sergeant Major.
- Walz served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Europe but did not see combat.
- A resurfaced video clip shows Walz appearing to claim combat experience, which his campaign clarified as a misstatement.
- Walz retired from the National Guard shortly before his unit deployed to Iraq, a decision that has drawn criticism.
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