JD Vance military service: Where did he serve and for how long?

Ohio Senator JD Vance, who Donald Trump selected as his vice presidential running mate, will debate Democratic candidate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday night.

Both men have served in the US military, and Senator Vance has attacked Governor Walz’s characterization of his service, which spanned twenty-four years in the US National Guard. Senator Vance attacked Governor Walz for what he saw as embellishing his credentials as a soldier and claiming to have fought in a war zone. However, soon after he began making these attacks, he was rebuked by members of both parties. The Ohio leader claimed that the Minnesota governor conveniently retired just before his unit was set to ship out to the Middle East. Governor Walz and his defenders claim that Walz had already announced his intention to run for Congress and that while in Washington, he was a staunch advocate for members of the military and veterans.

While some voters might find Senator Vance’s allegations of “stolen valor” legitimate, many voters do not want to hear an argument over military records during tonight’s debate.

JD Vance’s time in the US Marine Corp

Before getting into politics or attending university, JD Vance enlisted in the US Marine Corps after graduating from high school in 2003. Like many soldiers who enlisted at the time, the Senator has said that 9/11 was a key factor that motivated him to serve. However, after four years in the service, he became more critical of the war and the US aims in the region. During his four years in the service, he completed one six month tour in Iraq in a non-combat role working as a military journalist. He was tasked with taking pictures and writing articles about the war. He obtained the rank of Corporal for his time in the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing unit.

After his time in the Middle East, Vance used the G.I. bill to go to college, attending Ohio State University and later Yale University, where he obtained his law degree.

Reflecting on his time in the military

Earlier this year, Senator Vance I reflected on a time in the Marines, describing his support for the Iraq war as a “mistake.” Though he remains proud of his service and the lessons it taught him, he feels that he and others who enlisted were “lied to” and that the “promises of the foreign policy establishment of this country were a complete joke.”