vxbush 8/12/2024 5:51:46 AM

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Sigh. Those croissants look heavenly. 

Meanwhile, I have to wonder if dementia is shared via virus, based on how Harris is first stealing Donald Trump's policy idea to eliminate taxes on tips and then because she had mush mouth and called it tips for "service and hospitility workers." 

Of course, this is an easy flip-flop because as Margolis notes, she cast the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act which created a program to report tips for tax purposes. So she can blather away now about what she'll do, and then if she gets into office she'll do nothing of the kind. 

vxbush 8/12/2024 5:55:39 AM

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I thought I would share something a liberal friend posted to Facebook about Walz: 

• Walz retired as a CSM after 24 years of service. His rank was reduced after retirement for benefits purposes because he was missing some coursework; the MN Guard says he can use this rank.
• He put in for retirement before the Guard knew about the deployment to Iraq and retired before anybody in his unit knew.
• He was deployed to Italy in a field artillery support position, training soldiers headed to active theater. He has never claimed to have served in combat, only in war - which is accurate. Service in support roles is vital to the military and entirely honorable.
• Vance's service - as a Marine journalist for 4 years, including in Iraq - was also honorable. His lying and smearing Walz for venal political purposes is absolutely not.

What Republicans are hearing is different, of course. For the first two bullets, the two sides are hearing completely different information. Bullet point 3 is just thrown in for "Republican bad" bonus points.

What's the truth, and do we have a page with clear documentation of the history of Walz' retirement from the National Guard?

buzzsawmonkey 8/12/2024 8:36:25 AM

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vxbush 8/12/2024 9:53:37 AM

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Olympics Official: No ‘Scientifically Solid System’ for Sex Determination

So, all those doctors, nursemaids, and midwives had absolutely no clue about how to determine sex for 4000+ years. Good to know. 

vxbush 8/12/2024 10:05:25 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 2:

Letter from fellow command sergeant majors on Walz. Lots of details here, if not supporting documents. 

vxbush 8/12/2024 10:14:45 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 5:

And information from his direct commander on how he did not retire the right way from the guard. 

I still want details, copies of the retirement submissions, etc. to prove the situation. But so far, between the two links, there are 3 witnesses who say he didn't do things right.

vxbush 8/12/2024 10:22:29 AM

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JCM 8/12/2024 10:54:08 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 4:

Sheesh, let's start with a mandatory Dundee Test.

vxbush 8/12/2024 11:16:39 AM

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Okay, let me summarize what I've learned from the two links above and an additional few links: 

• Re-enlisted on September 18, 2001. (WCTrib link)
• Early 2003, selected to attend Army Sergeants Major Academy, a nonresident course of two years of correspondence work. (WCTrib link)
• Acceptance in enrollment in the course includes three stipulations (all from WCTrib link): 
• Must serve for two years after graduation, promotion to Sergeant Major, or promotion to Command Sergeant Major, whichever is later
• Failing the course might result in separation from the military
• Must complete the course or be reduced to master sergeant without board action
• Senior NCOs initial and sign a statement of agreement and certification upon enrollment and are counseled by the state command sergeant major or army national guard command sergeant major to confirm the future student knows the responsibilities. So Walz knew the requirements. (WCTrib link)
• Late summer 2003, Walz deployed with 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion to Italy. This was considered a supporting position and were not capable of deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan. Returned stateside in spring 2004. (WCTrib link)
• Walz was conditionally promoted to command sergeant major on September 17, 2004.
• Early in 2005 (WCTrib) or possibly late 2004 (Washington Examiner), his unit received "alert orders" to be informed that they would be called to deploy at some point within months or years. Walz's campaign sent out a press statement in March 2005 that said the NG Public Affairs office announced a possible mobilization of troops from the National Guard. Walz's superior officer, Sergeant Major Doug Julin, said he received the notification in fall 2004. (Breitbart confirms alert orders procedure)
• On February 10, 2005, Walz registered to run for congress. 
• In a meeting with Julin in March 2005, Was said he was going with the battalion. (Examiner)
• Walz seemed to think he either could run for Congress or serve in the NG, but other command sergeant majors explain that wasn't necessary. (WCTrib) 
• May 16, 2004 he quit, but he did not quit to Julin, as is normal. Instead, he went up two levels higher than Julin to quit. (Examiner)
• Walz's official retirement documentation states "SOLDIER NOT AVAILABLE FOR SIGNATURE", implying he did not follow standard procedures to retire.  (WCTrib) 
• Walz was demoted back down to Master Sergeant on September 19, 2005. It isn't clear if this occurred before or after his retirement papers were finalized. 

Sheesh. What a mess. 

vxbush 8/12/2024 11:18:11 AM

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Reply to JCM in 8:

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of that test. 

Occasional Reader 8/12/2024 12:31:19 PM

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vxbush 8/12/2024 1:16:37 PM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 11:

Commented.

Occasional Reader 8/12/2024 1:30:03 PM

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Reply to vxbush in 12:

Thanks!