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Of all the 44 Presidents this great country has had, do you think the ones with prior military service have proven to be the best ones? And if you want please name your favorite. Mine. Bush Sr.
Posted in these groups: 
Politics
Office of the President (POTUS)
Politics Office of the President (POTUS)
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 129
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Good question and the answer is no! Prior service does not guarantee a thing. Look at Grant, Carter, and the rest. Presidents were no more and no less better for their prior service. What is needed is a love of country. Patriotism. A good and healthy respect for the military and its members. Then if you extend that thought to Congress, you will have admit that many of those clowns are prior service and still they lack patriotism and respect for the military. In the past couple of decades it may seem that way, but over the course of the history of nation, it is an even wash.
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GySgt William Hardy
PS - Not all of the Founding Fathers were military men either, yet they help create an enduring document of freedom. We need both civilian and military people to keep this country on an even keel.
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Yes, as a matter of Fact looking back at all of the Presidents with Military service, it should be a requirement to hold the office. Being commander in Chief without the knowledge of anything within that Title makes it meaningless. Leaders who don't know their subordinates cannot lead effectively. We should all petition our representatives to make this change to prevent non-Veterans from holding that top office without the experience to wield it's power.
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SFC Charles S.
what is your point... or ? question. Do you not agree that it would be better to have a Commander in Chief that had actually served in a branch of the Military? My statement at looking back at all of them was in reference to their number not their contribution. 32 Presidents who Served in some capacity. 12 who did not.
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SFC Charles S.
Complete List with Rank and Branch.
List of Presidents of the United States by military service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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[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...
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SSG Gerhard S.
Nixon's military service didn't do anything to lessen the negative effects of his economic illiteracy. Let's not forget, he actually thought governmentallt set price and wage controls were a good idea in the wake of inflation. Leadership only gets one so far in the absence of knowledge and understanding.
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Roughly 13 have never been in the military - guess who is the 13th.... I would like to have a military person be the Commander in Chief - but not all can be.
However I really think that any Congressional or Senate Committee that is voting for military equipment, budgets etc need have served in the service.
However I really think that any Congressional or Senate Committee that is voting for military equipment, budgets etc need have served in the service.
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Understanding the world of military life, trials and tribulations is but ONE component of what makes a Good president.
I would not want a law that required prior service for election to POTUS. As a fully qualified candidate that has great financial experience, fantastic foreign relations success, domestic policy experience might otherwise be cast aside.... for lack of a SINGLE good point.
Would I favor the candidate that had ALL of the above vs one that had it all except military service, you bet.
I would not want a law that required prior service for election to POTUS. As a fully qualified candidate that has great financial experience, fantastic foreign relations success, domestic policy experience might otherwise be cast aside.... for lack of a SINGLE good point.
Would I favor the candidate that had ALL of the above vs one that had it all except military service, you bet.
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I don't know if they make better presidents but they have a better immediate understand of troop needs and concerns. Part of the reason the president has a cabinet with many military members on it is so that he can be counseled on troop needs in concerns. As long as the right people fill those slots and they listen to those people military service shouldn't matter.
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Mine would be Regan or Lincoln. I don't think it should be a requirement, however. Some one that has ran a successful business would be a lot better than a community organizer! I know a few military folks that have never led troops in life threatening situations (no fault of their own, Cold War era) that could not lead a rain drop to the ground. And few of our military presidents have been mediocre at best.
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I can't really say veterans make better Presidents. But I think they're more in tune with the sacrifices we make and that translates into more consideration when it comes to budget issues.
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I believe if a president is a position where there are military or hostile actions, which seems to be during almost every administration, I really think some sort of military backround is almost a given. What we have been experiencing under the current leadership is anyone who knows the situation, especially in conflict, and disagrees with the way things are being done gets fired. Why even have people with 30yrs+ experience in these matters if your "no experience" is going to set the ground rules. If you know the job, be allowed to do it, don't put someone in that doesn't even quality as a rookie.
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SSG Adam Reed
Maj Toops, You are exactly right. And those that had failed in the past prove this. But some have also proven the opposite. Kennedy proved it with the Cuban Missile Crisis. His Generals wanted to go all out and he decided to use the blockade. Obviously the better solution. Just one Veterans opinion. Thanks for posting.
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SSG Don Waggoner
Any leader tries to surround him or herself with the best people. He/she needs the support of those advisers in many ways, such as to give advice about how to proceed on any project, but also to carry out the ultimate plan even if the advisor disagrees with it. When the advisor cannot do that, he/she either quits or gets replaced. A leader is chosen to lead, to make the ultimate decision, even if it is unpopular. Most Presidents have not listened to their generals. Not Bush, not Reagan, not Johnson, not Kennedy, not FDR, not Truman, and not Wilson or Lincoln. They all made decisions that were unpopular among the troops, but were unltimately successful. Whether a President has had prior military experience only has some bearing on his/her overall duties and doesn't necessarily make him/her a better CINC. Obama has been carrying out the military mission that Bush handed him. Some decisions were made before he came into office. Generals have to follow their leader and orders just like the troop does, even if they don't like it. He has mostly done as he promised when it comes to military actions. He has been faced with problems for which any action is going to be bad. I don't think he has been any better or worse as CINC than any other President. His lack of military service has not hampered his ability to manage the troops and their missions. And, few presidents in the future will have had military experience.
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SFC Collin McMillion
To a large extent I agree with you, he did inherent Iraq from Bush, the the rest of the messes we are in largely are on him. I am not a big supporter of President Obama so that in itself does have an effect on my opinion, but is only my opinion and I would never claim it to be the best, correct, or right one.
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CPO James Page
The question here is about whether a person would be a better President if he/she had served in the military. I would suggest you read Lee Iacocca's book, "Where Have All The Leaders Gone." It is a great book which defines, in his words, what it takes to make a great leader. He writes about our past Presidents (up to the year 2008 when his book was published) which of course does not include President Obama. It is my belief that history what sort of President he was. I was surprised by his critique of G. W Bush's term in office.
To go back to Iacocca, if you remember he was instrumental in leading the Chrysler Corp. from failure with the help of a $10 million loan from the Federal government. Chrysler was the only one to pay their loan back in full.
This is a book worth reading especially by anyone attending a leadership course. Lot of useful information about being a leader
To go back to Iacocca, if you remember he was instrumental in leading the Chrysler Corp. from failure with the help of a $10 million loan from the Federal government. Chrysler was the only one to pay their loan back in full.
This is a book worth reading especially by anyone attending a leadership course. Lot of useful information about being a leader
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