Does ex-military make the best Presidents?

[righteousdude2]

With the elections less than a year from now, and a stable full of some decent GOP candidates as well as a closet full of Democrats running, I thought it would be interesting to see if you, as an American voter, think (or prefer) a man or woman with a military background. In short would a military minded leader make the best presidential candidate, especially with all the military conflicts going on around us?

 

[Salty]

A combat vet does not guarantee the best candidate
but it definitely a big plus.

List of military service of Presidents

 

[righteousdude2]

A combat vet does not guarantee the best candidate
but it definitely a big plus.

List of military service of Presidents

Thanks for the informative link. I hope everyone reads it.

 

[Salty]

Be sure to read the entry for Grover Cleveland.

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

Be sure to read the entry for Grover Cleveland.

That was legal and the normal practice for wealthy families. Right? Moral? I'm not sure, but it was legal.

 

[Jkdbuck76]

Jimmy Carter:,veteran and baptist.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk

 

[rsr]

It's a mixed bag, for sure. Some with fine military records were ciphers as president (pick just about any of the Civil War veterans elected from Grant to the end of the century). The two most prominent war presidents, Lincoln and FDR, had little or no active service.

One of the things that sticks out like a sore thumb is the relative lack of World War II veterans on the list: There are only two, and only Truman served in combat. Compare that to eight with service in World War II (although that includes Johnson, whose reserve service was a joke, and Carter, who was still at the Naval Academy).

Another is a lack of Vietnam era veterans, a bit strange when you consider how long the war lasted and the scope of conscription. Bush 43 is the only one, and all his duty was stateside.

 

[carpro]

Not all vets make good presidents , but the best presidents have been vets in the last 75 or so years.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

And Eisenhower, while a great commander of allied forces (try keeping De Gaulle in line and Montgomery and Patton working in harness), was never a line officer much less a combat vet.

It's a mixed bag, for sure. Some with fine military records were ciphers as president (pick just about any of the Civil War veterans elected from Grant to the end of the century). The two most prominent war presidents, Lincoln and FDR, had little or no active service.

One of the things that sticks out like a sore thumb is the relative lack of World War II veterans on the list: There are only two, and only Truman served in combat. Compare that to eight with service in World War II (although that includes Johnson, whose reserve service was a joke, and Carter, who was still at the Naval Academy).

Another is a lack of Vietnam era veterans, a bit strange when you consider how long the war lasted and the scope of conscription. Bush 43 is the only one, and all his duty was stateside.