Former Army Command Sergeant Major Doug Julin, a Democrat running for vice president, claimed on Friday that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who opted to resign and forego the deployment, was aware of his impending deployment to Iraq months in advance.
Julin added that Walz had told him he would lead his battalion into Iraq in his role as command sergeant major at the time. Later on, though, Julin claimed to have learned that Walz had circumvented him by going two levels above him in order to get his retirement accepted before his deployment.
In a CNN interview, Julin stated that in the fall of 2004, he and other top officers received word of an impending deployment to Iraq:
“I will begin my duties in the fall of 2004.” My commander and I from the 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division Brigade received what is known as a sourcing notification, or ‘NOS.’ We’ve heard that we’ll receive an alert to deploy to Iraq in the coming year or so. “In the meantime, get your squad ready, put them together, and let’s start the process.”
After that, according to Julin, he met with Walz’s battalion. Although Julin did not specify the date of the encounter, she did mention it took place before February 2005. At that time, Walz held the title of “commander sergeant major” and served as the battalion’s senior enlisted leader. According to Julin, Walz served at that level under certain conditions. Walz later fraudulently claimed to be a former command sergeant major, but in reality, he resigned at the lower rank of master sergeant after failing to meet the qualifications of a sergeant major.
“After that, we met with the Battalion, then introduced ourselves, and let them know that this is what’s going on; we do not have all the details yet, but we will take care of it,” he stated.
He remembered Walz informing him that he had filed a candidacy to run for Congress during a meeting in February 2005:
“My commander, boss, and command team planned a meeting at Camp Ripley, Minnesota, in February 2005 to bring everyone together, introduce ourselves, and establish a team-building event and concept. This would allow the staff, commanders, and battalion sergeant majors to get to know one another. Gov. Tim Walz, who was then Sergeant Major Tim Walz, was present at the meeting. He wanted to talk with me after the meeting, and we had a one-on-one conversation during which he told me what had happened. “I just wanted to let you know that I have filed for Congress,” he says. “I just wanted to let you know, even though I haven’t been chosen or nominated yet.”
According to Julin, the division received a warning order, which is an interim directive before a formal directive. He said that when he spoke with Walz again the next month, the latter gave him the assurance that he would lead his unit into Iraq.
He declared:
“We convened another meeting at Camp Ripley the following month, possibly in March 2005, but it could have been as late as April, depending on the calendar.” Tim Walz attended our discussion, during which we discussed who would do what, when, and where. We also discussed our objective, how we would manage it, and strategies to strengthen the team. As before, during this entire time, we are constructing what is known as a team in order to proceed to Iraq. After the meeting, Tim Walz came in and sat down with me, as I had spoken to him earlier and needed to know his response at that specific moment. Upon arrival, we had a conversation, during which he informed me that he was moving on with the unit and had not received a nomination. “Good,” I said. Come on, let’s go. “We’ve assembled the squad, and we’re now beginning to assemble the crew outside.”
Julin reported that he discovered Walz was absent from the June 2005 meeting, and that Command Sergeant Major Tom Behrends had taken his place. That’s when he learned that Walz had “quit,” according to him.
“I should have had Walz come back to me and explain this as to why he was not going after he had previously informed me he was going forward,” Julin stated. “The person who authorized this was two levels higher in the enlisted corps than I was.”
Julin claims that if Walz had been “an early-entry, low-level ranked” individual, he might have received an exception for not understanding the procedure.
Tim Walz was familiar with the steps and protocols. He completely avoided me, went above and beyond my expectations, and essentially attempted to obtain support without my involvement. He was only using a backdoor procedure against me, according to Julin.
According to Julin, Walz avoided him because he believed he could have answered, “No, it’s too late, you’re moving forward,” in response to his plea to resign.
Walz obviously knew well in advance of his scheduled deployment, according to Julin, even if the official instructions did not come through until later.
“Well, many claim he never knew he was going forward [to Iraq],” Julin stated emphatically. Yes, he was aware that he was moving ahead. Had his orders reached him yet? No, he hadn’t been at that point.
