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 pre-requisite for the position of president. As of the 2012 presidential election, 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.
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.
Barack Obama | None | None | None |
George W. Bush | Texas Air National Guard | 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) | World War II (1942–1945) 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 | World War II 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 Service Stars. |
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 Navy | Lieutenant | World War II received Navy and Marine Corps Medal and 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 and Commander-in-Chief). |
Harry S. Truman[5] | Missouri Army National Guard United States Army, United States Army Reserve |
Colonel | Stateside National Guard service in Missouri (1905–1911); World War I (1917–1918); transferred to Army Reserve and retired in 1953. |
Franklin D. Roosevelt | None | None | None; Assistant Secretary of the Navy in World War I. Attempted to resign in order to enter uniformed service, but resignation not accepted. Visited France as part of Navy Department duties to observe military activities first hand. |
Herbert Hoover | None | None | None; helped guide US Marines in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion. |
Calvin Coolidge | None | None | None |
Warren G. Harding | None | None | None |
Woodrow Wilson | None | None | None |
William Howard Taft | Connecticut Home Guard | None | None; United States Secretary of War 1904–1908. Enlisted in Connecticut Home Guard for World War I. |
Theodore Roosevelt | United States Army | Colonel | Spanish–American War – only U.S. President to receive the Medal of Honor (awarded posthumously in 2001). Also a Navy Civilian, as Assistant Secretary of the Navy[6] |
William McKinley | United States Army | Brevet Major | American Civil War. Served in the 23rd Ohio Infantry under future President Rutherford B. Hayes; fought in the Battle of South Mountain, The Battle of Antietam, and in the Valley Campaigns of 1864. |
Benjamin Harrison | United States Army | Brigadier General | American Civil War; Commanded an Infantry Brigade at the battles of Resaca, New Hope Church, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta, Peachtree Creek and Atlanta; also Commanded a Brigade during Sherman's March to the Sea. |
Grover Cleveland | None | None | Paid George Benninsky $150 to take his place after Cleveland was drafted during Civil War under Conscription Act of 1863. |
Chester A. Arthur | New York State Militia | Brigadier General | Judge Advocate General, Second Brigade of the New York Militia. Served as Engineer-in-Chief on the Governor's staff, Quartermaster General and Inspector General of the New York Militia before and during the American Civil War. Declined appointment as commander of the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and command of four New York City regiments organized as the Metropolitan Brigade when Governor requested he remain Quartermaster General. |
Zachary Taylor | United States Army | Major General | War of 1812, Black Hawk War, Second Seminole War, Mexican–American War; entire career spanned from 1808 until 1848. | |||
James K. Polk | Tennessee State Militia | Colonel | Joined cavalry unit in Tennessee Militia as a Captain. Subsequently appointed a Colonel on the staff of Governor William Carroll. Did not see war service. | |||
John Tyler | Virginia militia | Captain | War of 1812 | |||
William Henry Harrison | United States Army | Major General | Northwest Indian War, War of 1812 | |||
Martin Van Buren | None | None | None; as State Senator during War of 1812 worked to pass war measures, including bills to expand New York militia and increase soldier pay. Special Judge Advocate appointed to aid in prosecuting William Hull at Hull's court-martial after surrender of Detroit. | |||
Andrew Jackson | Tennessee State Militia, United States Army | Major General | American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Creek War, First Seminole War | |||
John Quincy Adams | None | None | None; however he was a witness to Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 and reportedly was a non-participant in a Naval Battle between a British ship and a US ship he was on with his father during the American Revolution. | |||
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