These American presidents held the highest military ranks

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These American presidents held the highest military ranks

Technically, everyone who has served as President of the United States has achieved the highest position over the military: Commander in Chief. However, this is not a military rank, as the United States maintains civilian control over its armed forces. However, many presidents have served in the military, sometimes in high rank. As you review this information, consider how important you think military service is as an aspect of a president’s experience.

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31 presidents served in the military and 14 did not.
Military ranks of presidents ranged from private in a state militia to army general.
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Presidents who did not have military service

These American presidents held the highest military ranks

14 US presidents did not serve in the military. Interestingly, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt, who led the country through World War I and World War II, respectively, never served in the military.

Joe Biden
Donald Trump
Barack Obama
Bill Clinton
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Herbert Hoover
Calvin Coolidge
Warren G. Harding
Woodrow Wilson
William Howard Taft
Grover Cleveland
Martin Van Buren
John Quincy Adams
John Adams

Presidents who served in the military

The White House, the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, DC, USA

Below are the 31 US presidents who served in the military, arranged in ascending order, along with the dates of their presidency, their military rank, and the branch of the military in which they last served. When two or more presidents had the same rank, we ranked the earlier presidents higher than the later ones. I used the US Department of Defense officer insignia chart to find equivalencies between the ranks of the various branches of the military.

31. James Buchanan

James Buchanan

Presidency: 1857-1861
Rank: Private
Subsidiary: Pennsylvania Militia

30. George W. Bush

George W. Bush | President Bush holds a press conference at the White House

Presidency: 2001-2009
Rank: First Lieutenant
Subsidiary: Air National Guard

29. George HW Bush

Presidency: 1989-1993
Rank: lieutenant
Subsidiary: US Navy Reserve

28. Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan turns 92

Presidency: 1981-1989
Rank: Captain
Subsidiary: United States Army Reserve

27. John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy | John F. Kennedy

Presidency: 1961-1963
Rank: lieutenant
Subsidiary: US Navy Reserve

26. Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter | Jimmy Carter in front of the US flag

Presidency: 1977-1981
Rank: lieutenant
Subsidiary: US Navy

25. William McKinley

William McKinley, (1843-1901), US President 1897-1901, c. 1890s.

Presidency: 1897-1901
Rank: Captain
Subsidiary: US Army

24. Abraham Lincoln

US President Abraham Abe Lincoln on US five dollar banknote macro US$5

Presidency: 1861-1865
Rank: Captain
Subsidiary: Illinois State Militia

23. John Tyler

Presidency: 1841-1845
Rank: Captain
Subsidiary: Virginia Militia

22. Gerald Ford

Presidency: 1974-1977
Rank: lieutenant commander
Subsidiary: US Navy Reserve

21. Millard Fillmore

Presidency: 1850-1853
Rank: Major
Subsidiary: Militia of New York

20. Richard Nixon

Presidency: 1969-1974
Rank: Commander
Subsidiary: US Navy Reserve

19. Lyndon B. Johnson

Presidency: 1963-1969
Rank: Commander
Subsidiary: US Navy Reserve

18. Harry S. Truman

Presidency: (1945-1953
Rank: Colonel
Subsidiary: United States Army Reserve

17. Theodore Roosevelt

A close-up of Theodore Roosevelt, one of four presidential profiles atop Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota

Presidency: 1901-1909
Rank: Colonel
Subsidiary: US Army

16. James K. Polk

Presidency: 1845-1849)
Rank: Colonel
Subsidiary: Tennessee Militia

15. James Monroe

James Monroe

Presidency: 1817-1825
Rank: Colonel
Subsidiary: Virginia Militia

14. James Madison

James Madison

Presidency: 1809-1817
Rank: Colonel
Subsidiary: Virginia Militia

13. Thomas Jefferson

The portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the US two dollar bill.

Presidency: 1801-1809
Rank: Colonel
Subsidiary: Virginia Militia

12. Benjamin Harrison

Presidency: 1889-1893
Rank: brigadier general
Subsidiary: US Army

11. Chester A. Arthur

Chester Arthur, 21st President of the United States, (1881 - 1885).

Presidency: 1881-1885
Rank: brigadier general
Subsidiary: Militia of New York

10. Andrew Johnson

Presidency: 1865-1869
Rank: brigadier general
Subsidiary: US Army

9. Franklin Pierce

Franklin Pierce

Presidency: 1853-1857
Rank: brigadier general
Subsidiary: US Army

8. James A. Garfield

James A. Garfield

Presidency: 1881
Rank: Major General
Subsidiary: US Army

7. Rutherford B. Hayes

Presidency: 1877-1881
Rank: Major General
Subsidiary: US Army

6. Zachary Taylor

Zachary Taylor, (1784-1850), US President 1849-1850, 1849.

Presidency: 1849-1850
Rank: Major General
Subsidiary: US Army

5. William Henry Harrison

Presidency: 1841
Rank: Major General
Subsidiary: US Army

4. Andrew Jackson

Portrait of former US President Andrew Jackson. macro from 20 dollars bill. money, banking and investments.

Presidency: 1829-1837
Rank: Major General
Subsidiary: US Army

3. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Presidency: 1853-1961
Rank: army general
Subsidiary: US Army

2. Ulysses S. Grant

A US $50 bill in the foreground with Ulysses S. Grant. Highly detailed image of US money. Portrait of Ulysses S. Grant on the fifty dollar bill.

Presidency: 1869-1877
Rank: Ulysses S. Grant
Subsidiary: general of the armies

1. George Washington

Portrait of President George Washington.

Presidency: 1789-1797
Rank: general of the armies
Subsidiary: US Army

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