Gov. Tim Walz, who has been accused of “stolen valor” for implying he is a combat veteran, is also under scrutiny for inflating his military rank after he retired from the Minnesota Army National Guard.

Mr. Walz, who is Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate for the White House, routinely referred to himself or allowed others, without correcting them, to refer to him as a retired command sergeant major.

Mr. Walz briefly served as a command sergeant major (E-9), though he never fully attained the rank, and retired at the lower rank of master sergeant (E-8).

On Feb. 12, 2006, surrounded by other Democratic candidates and congressional leaders on Capitol Hill, he introduced himself this way:

“I am a retired command sergeant major. I spent 24 years in the Army National Guard. I spent the better part of two decades as a public school teacher. I’m a small business owner. I’m a father and I’m a husband. I intend to come here to Washington to provide authentic leadership.”

During that election cycle he ran a radio campaign ad where he said, “I am a retired command sergeant major in the Minnesota National Guard and after years of firing artillery, I sustained years of inner ear damage.”

In September 2007, after he won a House seat, he again referred to himself as a retired command sergeant major. Fellow Democrats called him by that rank or used the superlative of “highest enlisted” man ever elected to Congress.

The former commander of Mr. Walz’s Guard unit challenged Mr. Walz’...

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