• Troy Matthews – 13 minutes ago

Over 1,000 veterans and military family members have signed a letter praising the military service of Governor Tim Walz. The open letter states that veterans are “appalled at Donald Trump and JD Vance’s politically motivated attacks” on Walz’s honorable service in the Army National Guard, where he served for 24 years.

The letter, circulated by Vote Vets and obtained by USA TODAY is signed by 1,048 veterans, veteran families, military families, caregivers, and survivors who state that “as individuals who have served and sacrificed for this nation, we are thrilled to see someone who served our country in uniform for decades on the ticket.”

“Governor Walz, a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, has demonstrated throughout his career a profound respect for those who serve, as well as their families,” the letter reads. “His service, both in uniform and as a public servant, embodies the values of duty, honor, and commitment.”

“Where Trump and Vance seek to diminish the sacrifices of our military community and renege on our obligation to veterans,” the letter continues, “Governor Walz has always stood as a beacon of respect and support.”

Among the veterans who signed the letter are Retired General Randy Manner from the National Guard Bureau, and Brenda Sue Fulton, a former military officer and assistant secretary of Veterans Affairs in the Biden Administration. The Veterans organization Common Defense also recruited vets to sign the letter.

Trump and Vance have repeatedly echoed claims from far-right influencers that Walz “abandoned” his National Guard unit when he retired in 2005 after 24 years of service. Vance, whose own service lasted four years, including a six-month deployment to Iraq as a military journalist removed from combat, has drawn the ire of service members for participating in attacks on Walz’s military record to score political points.

“JD Vance’s comments attacking Governor Walz’s service record are disrespectful and deeply disappointing, especially given Vance’s own service − which we are also profoundly grateful for,” the letter reads. “But given Donald Trump’s long record of expressing disdain for service members, veterans, and their families, it’s unsurprising that his running mate has stooped to such lows.”

Walz, for his part, demonstrated the difference in class and respect between himself and Vance by thanking Trump’s running mate for his service during a speech on Monday.

Vance has a history of attacking honorable service members, including decorated combat generals. In 2022, Vance clapped back at Retired General Barry McCaffrey for calling Vance “shameful” for comments he made on a podcast, where he stated that he didn’t “really care what happens in Ukraine.”

“Your entire time in military leadership we won zero wars. You drank fine wine at bull—- security conferences while thousands of working-class kids died on the battlefield,” Vance said in response to McCaffrey. “Oh, by the way, how much do you stand to gain financially from a war with Russia, Barry?”

X’s community notes fact-checking team was quick to point out that McCaffrey was the infantry commander who literally led the final Army operation that won the first Gulf War.

Multiple veterans have spoken out in defense of Walz’s service in the face of the MAGA attacks. Congresswoman and Veteran Naval Aviator Mikie Sherrill told MeidasTouch co-founder Ben Meiseles, “Trump wouldn’t even understand the concept of valor. So here we have a person who served for 24 years in the National Guard—something I’m sure Trump doesn’t appreciate, because he thinks anyone who serves is a sucker or a loser—but here is somebody who I believe served our nation in the National Guard and I think that is an honorable thing to do and I very much appreciate his service.”

Founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Paul Rieckhoff: “[Walz] is a person of integrity, character, honor. He’s one of the most honorable, hard-working politicians I have ever met. I like him so much it’s hard for me to believe sometimes he’s a politician. We worked together for 20 years on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. His time in the national guard is very important.”

United States Marine Corps Lt. Colonel Amy McGrath: “This last example of him attacking Governor Walz this way is just another example of Trump attacking veterans. He’s done it before. He calls us suckers and losers. And now he unfortunately has another veteran to be able to go after one of his own in a really nasty, dishonest way. And to me, it’s just outrageous to say that somebody that served for 24 years wanted to get out so that he couldn’t go to combat.”

Former Congressman and Air Force Veteran Adam Kinzinger: “Donald Trump avoided the draft claiming he had bone spurs. Nobody on his ticket and, especially him, have any right to attack anybody’s service to the United States of America, when he was unwilling to even lift a finger. When his country needed him, he abandoned his country.”

Congressman and Marine Veteran Jake Auchincloss: “The attacks coming from Trump and Vance are simply a desperate political smear job, and they are in meltdown mode. They have been insulting women. They’ve been insulting the police. Now they’re insulting veterans.”

Congressman and Army Veteran Jason Crow: “Serving in a military unit is tough. So you have to be able to rely on your fellow veteran, your fellow service member. That’s a deep ethos in the military that we have each other’s backs. So there’s really very few things that sadden me more when you see a veteran maligning and attacking falsely another veteran and that’s why it’s so sad to see Senator Vance turning on Tim Walz and perpetuating these false attacks.”

Former Congressman and Air Force Veteran Denver Riggleman: “The fact is JD Vance should not be attacking Tim Walz…He shouldn’t be acting this way, because it is beneath somebody who’s running for the office of vice president and it’s absolutely inaccurate to characterize Tim Walz in this way and I think it’s another pathetic attack and you just get tired of it. Especially as a former military, it’s just embarrassing to have someone have this kind of attack on a fellow service member.”