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Presidents and Military Service
List of Presidents of the United States by Military Service
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The United States Constitution names the President of the United States the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces. Previous service in the military is not a prerequisite for the position of president. As of the 2016 presidential election[update], no member of the U.S. Marine Corps or U.S. Coast Guard has yet been elected President. The most frequent military experience is Army/Army Reserve with 15 presidents, followed by State Militias at 9, Navy/Naval Reserve at 6 and the Continental Army with 2 presidents serving.
Eight presidents served during World War II, while seven served in the military during the American Civil War. The following list outlines the military service of each president before becoming the commander in chief.
President— Service
Donald J. Trump
Barack Obama None
Rank Active Service
None None None None None
George W. BushTexas Air National Guard, United States Air Force—First Lieutenant—Stateside service as pilot
during Vietnam War (1968–1973). Received early discharge in 1973.[1]
Bill Clinton—None—None—None. Signed agreement to join Reserve Officer Training Corps at University of Arkansas during Vietnam War.[2] Subsequently withdrew and entered draft, but received high draft number and was not drafted.[3] (See Bill Clinton: Vietnam War opposition and draft controversy.)
George H. W. Bush—United States Naval Reserve - Lieutenant (Junior Grade) - Navy pilot in World War II (1942–1945). Shot down and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Ronald Reagan—United States Army Reserve, United States Army Air Corps—Captain—Stateside service during World War II (1942–1945); Army Reserve (1937–1942).
Jimmy Carter—United States Navy— Lieutenant (navy) - Served during World War II as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. Sea duty and stateside service 1946–1953 during the Korean War.
Gerald Ford—United States Naval Reserve—Lieutenant Commander—World War II (1942–1945); combat on USS Monterey, discharged in 1946.
Richard Nixon—United States Naval Reserve—Commander—World War II (1942–1945); earned two battle stars for service in the Pacific.
Lyndon B. Johnson—United States Naval Reserve—Commander[4] - World War II received Silver Star medal after observation mission in which aircraft he was on came under Japanese attack.
John F. Kennedy—United States Naval Reserve—Lieutenant (navy) - Served in combat during World War II. Received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart.
Dwight D. Eisenhower—United States Army—General of the Army—Stateside service during World War I. Served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II (1942–1945). Visited troops in Korea in December 1952. Entire active-duty career spanned from 1915 until 1969 (excepting his two terms as president).
Harry S. Truman—Missouri Army National Guard, United States Army,United States Army Reserve
Colonel Stateside National Guard service in Missouri (1905–1911); served in combat in France during World War I (1917–1918); transferred to Army Reserve and retired in 1953.
“Bone Spurs”. 