Jewells of Thought

Last Thursday was the day that news really began pouring out about the potential Vice Presidential nominee chosen for the Democrat ticket. The opposing Vice Presidential nominee, sitting Senator J.D Vance had even accused Walz of “stolen valor.” A major accusation thrown and major snafus made by the man accused of such a thing.

Perhaps my internet blitz that afternoon into the evening was indeed a blessing. I had wanted to comment on that very matter that day. Due to those circumstances and my interesting weekend and busy schedule I had to wait until today. After listening to some of Walz’s former men and to a few Veterans serving in Congress I have been able to temper my anger from that day.

Thankfully I have spent time talking with men who have served. One thing I came away realizing from each conversation was they didn’t want their friends who died in combat to be forgotten or for their service to not matter anymore.

Not everyone cares about getting the big promotions and titles, but when the men I talked to brought up friends they lost in combat or to accidents those deaths are hard to digest. Especially now when our Country is so disturbingly heading in the wrong direction at a running speed. I am grateful most of the men I spoke to did not see what I have seen in the past 5 years. They would question those deaths even more by looking at what has happened to our beloved Country. Renaming bastions of training centers throughout the states because the names are not woke enough. Dismantling and tearing down of historic statues of American staples in our legendary history of 250 years

Walz knew what he was saying when he made each of his comments. They were made so that footballs could fly through each statement in case they came to haunt him, but the message from these comments he made were crystal clear; he served in combat with a title of recognition. Those comments have been declared over and over by the Minnesota National Guard to be false. He did not qualify to have that title due to not taking the coursework to gain the title before he retired. This man has lost all credibility, never mind this is still the man who let down his own Police Department in the entire state of Minnesota during 2020 with the death of a drugged out man and the riots of that summer. Whatever service he made to his Country was done simply for his benefit only to fail upward the stairs of his political side: the Democrat ticket. Why would he call his fellow Minnesota Guardsman, “19 year old cooks” when pressed to call on them during the riots.

My grandfathers both served their Country proudly. One served during World War II and came back a different man after being a prisoner of war for 10 months. He never wanted to talk about the war, he didn’t even belong to the American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He died without having the gun salute at his grave. Honestly, as a grown woman now I feel cheated out of having that ceremony he should have had as a serviceman and former prisoner of war. Grandpa simply wanted to forget it though and no one questioned this lack of honor due him.

Then I have my other Grandpa, Freddy. He served during the Korean Conflict, but he was in the Navy he very much idolized his big brother who served on LST’s and several different ships during World War II. Grandpa got a bad case of the measles though. I still wonder if their father hadn’t died would Grandpa have stayed in the service longer? Grandpa’s service time was all over the Midwest, but he didn’t go overseas. He enlisted with a willing heart and he learned a lot of things during his service. Papaw enjoyed talking with all who served domestically and in combat.

Still I will never forget giving him a Veterans Day card the year before he died. He said he wasn’t a real Veteran in no uncertain terms. It broke my heart to hear him say such a thing. He was humble, but sometimes too humble.

Does Walz know how many people he has hurt with what he considers his little white lies? Did he entire the National Guard for the right reasons? He doesn’t seem to have learned much from his 20 plus years about management and leading a state! What about those men who served with him who believed he was going with them into battle? This all just feels so disturbing and for him to ask the American people to trust him when he seems to have bailed on his own men right before battle! This is all hard to stomach.