Adam Kinzinger explains why military service alone doesn't qualify Walz or Vance for leadership

This Tuesday, October 1, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Republican Sen. JD Vance are scheduled to hold their first —and probably their only — 2024 vice-presidential debate.

Both of them are veterans — a fact that former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois), himself a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard, addresses in an article published by the conservative website The Bulwark the day before the debate.

Kinzinger argues that how well military service "can prepare someone for elected office — or whether it can at all" is a "complicated question."

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"Military service can be a credential of patriotism and leadership," the ex-congressman writes. "People want leaders who have been tested under pressure, who understand what it means to serve something greater than themselves. But military service isn't the same for everyone, and while the vast majority of people in the military are the best of what America has to offer — patriotic, brave, dedicated — there are also jerks, sloths, narcissists, and wackos, just like you'd find in any other group of millions of people. The challenge for Walz and Vance will be to apply the lessons of service to real-world issues."

Although Kinzinger is a conservative Republican, he is a vehement critic of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris during his speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

"If either of them can convincingly tie their military service to their ability to govern effectively in these areas," Kinzinger argues, "it could give them an edge. But it won't be enough for either vice presidential candidate to claim that their time in uniform by itself is a qualification. Military service doesn't automatically make someone a great leader."

Kinzinger adds, "We've seen politicians who never served make sound decisions for our country’s security, just as we've seen veterans fail in leadership. This is as true of presidents as it is of members of Congress."

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Kinzinger, who served on the January 6 Select Committee in 2022, hopes that the October 1 debate won't turn into "two veterans attacking each other’s service."

"It’s not enough just to have worn the uniform," Kinzinger says. "They've got to show voters that they understand the complexities of the world and how to navigate them. One last note for the candidates before they debate: The standards for honorable service in the military are high. The standards for honorable service at the highest levels of the American government ought to be even higher."

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