In general, if a president served in the military, it was a positive on the campaign trail. Overall, 45 men have been elected president of the United States. Of those men, approximately two-thirds of them served in the military. The president of the United States has to be a strong leader. If someone has military experience, particularly if they are an officer, they are perceived as having the leadership experience necessary to lead the country. As a result, there are lots of presidents who have served in the military, with many of them rising to the rank of general.
The very first president to have military service was also the very first president of the country. George Washington served as the President of the United States from 1783 to 1791. He was also the leader of the Continental Army, which fought against the British during the American Revolution. George Washington was considered to be the overall commander of the army, and when the American Revolutionary War was over, he was nominated to be president of the United States. Even though there was an election held, he was virtually a unanimous choice. He served as the President of the United States for two terms before stepping down voluntarily. He set the precedent that the president of the United States could have military service.
There are numerous other presidents who also served in the military as a general. Dwight Eisenhower, who served as the President of the United States from 1953 to 1961, also led the Allied Forces during the war against the Nazis. He rose to the rank of general of the army, but he also served in the military during World War 1. He was a brigadier general at the time.
There are several other presidents who also served as a general. For example, Ulysses S Grant, who served as the President of the United States from 1869 to 1877, was also considered a general of the army. He served in the Union Army, leading them to victory in the American Civil War. Even though there was a separate general who was still in command of the army of the Potomac, Ulysses S Grant was in charge.
No, it is not required for someone to have military service before they are elected president. For example, the past few presidents have not had any military service at all. Joe Biden, the current president of the United States, does not have any military service on his resume. Donald Trump, the last president of the United States, also did not have any military service. Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States, and he did not serve in the military either. Even though it is helpful for the president to have military service, it is not a requirement.