The truth behind Tim Walz's claim about watching 'ramp ceremony' at Bagram Air Base

ST. PAUL, Minn. (TND) — Vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing backlash for a comment he made in 2021 about witnessing a "ramp ceremony" at Bagram Air Base, with critics claiming he inaccurately suggested he served in the Iraq War.

The controversy stems from a book published by the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum last year, which quotes Walz's speech from the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In the book, his remarks are presented alongside those by family members of the attacks’ victims in a section devoted to 20 years of “remembrance.”

“I had the privilege of serving in this state's national guard,” The book quotes Walz as having said. “I stood one night in the dark of night on the tarmac at Bagram Air Base in Iraq and watched a military ramp ceremony–a soldier’s body being loaded onto a plane to be returned home.”

The quote is not an accurate reflection of what Walz said and leaves out a portion of his speech. Walz spoke after Jill Stephenson and Mariah Jacobsen, who talked about the impact the attacks had on their families. The governor discussed his time in the Minnesota National Guard and returning home to his daughter.

“I had the privilege of serving in this state’s national guard. And when I left, I had a two-year-old, and when I came home, I had a three-year-old,” Walz said. “But as I listen to Jill and I listen to Mariah, the guilt – I came home and my daughter went on. And when you’re two and three, she knew no difference.”

Gov. Walz then noted that some people’s lives continued despite being impacted by the attacks, touching on his experience at a memorial service for fallen soldiers at a former U.S. airbase in Afghanistan.

"Over the preceding years of watching us, and as our nation changes, and as our political systems became more difficult for all of us to understand, I stood one night in the dark of night at the tarmac at Bagram and watched a military ramp ceremony,” he said.

“And if you’ve seen it, which these folks – many have, unfortunately – you don’t leave the same. And it makes you wonder, ‘What are we doing? What are we trying to get to?’” the governor continued.

A spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign told The National Desk the governor was referring to his 2008 Afghanistan trip as part of a congressional delegation. The spokesperson also provided a copy of his itinerary, which shows he planned to visit the airbase twice.

Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.