Marine Veteran Criticizes Adam Kinzinger for Dismissing Vance's Military Service

Marine Corps veteran Joey Jones sharply criticized former Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) for attempting to downplay the military service of Ohio Senator and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance. The confrontation arose from debates over the military records of both Vance and Governor Tim Walz (D-MN), who has recently been selected as the running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris.

The controversy began with reports of alleged exaggerations in Governor Walz's military career. Walz, a former member of the Army National Guard, reportedly retired in 2005, forfeiting a conditional promotion to command sergeant major shortly after learning that his unit was scheduled to deploy to Iraq.

JD Vance, a Marine Corps veteran who served as a Public Affairs officer in Iraq, responded by questioning Walz's decision. “What really bothers me about Tim Walz, as a Marine who served his country in uniform?” Vance asked. “When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it. … When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq … he dropped out of the Army,” Vance said.

In defense of Walz, Kinzinger, an Air Force veteran, attempted to diminish Vance's service by stating, “Ok. JD served honorably, but he wasn’t kicking down doors. He was in public affairs. Which again, is fine and honorable. Tim, after he was eligible for retirement, retired. People do that. If it was a real problem he would have been ‘stop lossed’ and prevented from retiring.”

Jones, a fellow Marine veteran, took issue with Kinzinger’s remarks and delivered a powerful rebuttal. “I sat behind a .50 cal machine gun in Iraq on roads littered with IEDs. I walked around Afghanistan taking IEDs apart by hand. In Iraq and Afghanistan even pencil pushers were vulnerable to rockets and mortars landing on their heads (see Al Asad this week),” he said, referring to a recent attack. “A chow hall at that very same base was hit in 2007 just before I got there.”

Jones went on to emphasize the dangers faced by all military personnel, regardless of their roles. “I lost more than one buddy to friendly fire in Afghanistan from foreign nationals on a secured base. Everyone on a base in Iraq or Afghanistan got combat pay because they were literally surrounded by a capable enemy,” Jones explained. He concluded by labeling Kinzinger as a “bona fide s*** bird” for his dismissive comments.

The exchange highlights the ongoing debate over military service and the value of each role within the armed forces. While Kinzinger attempted to downplay Vance’s service, Jones’s response underscored the reality that all service members, regardless of their specific duties, face significant risks in combat zones.

As the conversation about military service continues, it serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by veterans like Vance and Jones, who have served their country with honor and distinction.

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