“I can’t speak to the military, but it appears that his provisional rank was wholly within the confines of the Academy. “
If you are promoted you are promoted. No confines on the rank.
I can’t find more info on Walz or provisional promotions.
I now think what he received officially was a Temporary Promotion.
Here is the original story from 2018: Paid letter: The Truth About Tim Walz
-PJ