I’ve talked to a lot of veterans and have a very good idea how the military works.

A soldier always got further in their career by tooting their own horn, and boot lickin’, also known as butt kissing. The promotion board should ask, “With all these extracurricular activities to make yourself look good, how did you find time to do your Army job?”

It’s widely recognized one could politick their way to the top. I suggest that’s how Rep. Tim Walz got to the top. He knows a lot about being a politician and little about being a statesman. He never saw the battlefield so it explains why he doesn’t understand taking care of the soldier on the battlefield. Walz’s opposition to enhanced interrogation in 2007 proves he has little idea of the terrorist enemy.

Enhanced interrogation has been proven to help protect soldiers and save lives, but Walz simply sided with his Democratic Party rather than do what was good for our U.S. soldiers and what the military and CIA recommended. A statesman takes care of his constituents, a politician takes care of himself.

In the last debate, Oct. 13, he said he would listen to military commanders on whether to pull troops from Afghanistan. But turned right around and said we should repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell,” against the recommendation of the military commanders.

To me that’s a politician soldier, not a statesman. Let’s discharge him on Nov 2!

Don Kottchade

Winona