Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Walz has come under fire from Republican critics, including Senator JD Vance of Ohio, for alleged instances of "stolen valor." In response, Walz defended his military record during a solo event on the campaign trail in Los Angeles.

Walz, the Governor of Minnesota, expressed pride in his 24-year service in the National Guard, emphasizing that he and other servicemen and women joined the armed forces out of love for their country. He stated, "These guys have - are even attacking me for my record of service. And I just want to say I'm proud to serve my country, and I always will be."

Walz firmly believes that denigrating another person's service record is inappropriate and expressed gratitude towards all those who have bravely served the nation, including his opponent. He stated, "To anyone brave enough to put on that uniform for our great country, including my opponent, I just have a few simple words: Thank you for your service and sacrifice."

The controversy surrounding Walz's military service arose when Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign shared a video clip featuring Walz discussing gun control and referencing his own military background in 2018. In the clip, Walz stated, "We can make sure that those weapons of war, that I carried in war, is the only place where those weapons are at."

Senator Vance criticized Walz last week for what he perceived as misrepresentation of his military record in those remarks. Vance stated, "I'd be ashamed if I was him and I lied about my military service like he did."

A spokesperson for Harris' campaign clarified that Walz had inadvertently misspoken in the video when discussing his handling of weapons "in war." It is important to note that while Walz served in the military for 24 years, including overseas duties and support for forward units, he was not deployed to a combat zone. He officially retired from the Minnesota National Guard in 2005 as he prepared for his Congressional run the following year.

Walz shared that he was inspired to enlist in the Army National Guard by his father, a Korean War veteran. He enlisted two days after turning 17 years old and embarked on a 24-year career in the military before transitioning into politics.

In recent days, Walz has been holding campaign events without the presence of Harris, following a series of joint appearances in battleground states last week. These solo events aim to further showcase Walz's vision and commitment to serving the nation.