Posted on Jan 17, 2014
Should the President and elected officals with the power to send our sons and daughters to war be required to have served in the military?
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I feel it should be law that all political office members from president on down should have to have served in the military before they can be voted into office. If these people are going to have the power to decide who and when we go to war they should know what it is like to lead in the military. Far too many of our leaders have never served, and neither have their children yet they vote to send ours to war. <div>I recall at the height of the war in 2006 when politicians were considering a draft or mandatory conscription service. However they were silent when asked if their own children would be subject to the requirements of such a requirement.</div><div>A doctor must go to med school before they can legally practice medicine so the president should have to be a veteran before they can be commander in chief.</div>
Congress
Warfare
Military service
Office of the President (POTUS)
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 114
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I don't think it should be a requirement, but I do prefer candidates who have executive leadership experience. The military isn't the only venue that gives that. CEO of a business, mayor, governor, does. However, being in Congress DOESN'T.
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I don't think military service should be required. It never was in the Constitution. It is a discriminator I look for, but it doesn't necessarily mean the candidate is the best choice. Jimmy Carter was in the Navy. Still turned out to be a disappointment as president. John McCain was in the Navy, but I won't vote for him.
I DO think all candidates ought to undergo a thourough background investigation, at least as rigorous as a TS/SBI. Heck, I had to undergo a more detailed background investigation to become a 911 Operator than Obama had to submit to to become president. Something wrong there.
I DO think all candidates ought to undergo a thourough background investigation, at least as rigorous as a TS/SBI. Heck, I had to undergo a more detailed background investigation to become a 911 Operator than Obama had to submit to to become president. Something wrong there.
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To take it a step further would be what Robert Heinlein had suggested in his novel 'Starship Troopers', in order to be a full fledged citizen, one would have to have served their country. I'd take a WAG (not researching percent of who has served still living) that less than 5% of our population would be citizens then.
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SGT William B.
Interestingly though, Starship Troopers also made it a point to say that military service was not the only path to citizenship. The federal government in the book could *NOT* turn away anyone who wanted to serve, even if it meant that they sent a blind, deaf, and mute man to count the number of bumps on a caterpillar.
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LTC Paul Labrador
Well in the book, valid service was also being used as a human test subject.... ;o)
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SGT William B.
Ha, I forgot about that sir. Sounds like I may need to go back and give it another read; it's been a few years.
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<p>While it is a noble idea, I would never want to exclude a brilliant mind who might be physically unfit for Military due to any number of physical ailments, from positively impacting our troops. </p><p> </p><p>The ability to effectively lead is not reserved solely for those in the military and I believe that excluding leaders who have not served would be a mistake.</p>
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SSG Jason Soles
I agree to a certain extent, but at the same time many of these new leaders have no concept of sacrifice.They don't understand the impact of their decisions on the military and their families. Furthermore, they fail to recognize the consequences on training and safety when they cut funding. We cannot countenance a leader that asks are military to make the ultimate sacrifice while they allow an action/inaction that forces them to go without pay or services for them and their families.
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SGT Suraj Dave
Leadership 101 - I will never ask my subordinates do something I myself have not or would not do.
Physical ailments isn't a real big issue. In todays Army you can leave AIT with a permanent profile and you are allowed to stay in the Army.
I think its a ridiculous policy, but pretty much anyone who doesn't have a blood born illness (Hepatitus, HIV, etc...), visible physical deformity, or a rap sheet can lie their way into the Army, and it is not hard. I have seen so many people with prior health problems join the Army, then come out of AIT and are allowed to stay, and have TRICARE footing the bill. Its a ridiculous policy.
I always thought growing up that was the requirement, I did not learn until much later in life that I was mislead by a teacher when I was a kid. It is a great idea in my opinion, for certain offices.
Physical ailments isn't a real big issue. In todays Army you can leave AIT with a permanent profile and you are allowed to stay in the Army.
I think its a ridiculous policy, but pretty much anyone who doesn't have a blood born illness (Hepatitus, HIV, etc...), visible physical deformity, or a rap sheet can lie their way into the Army, and it is not hard. I have seen so many people with prior health problems join the Army, then come out of AIT and are allowed to stay, and have TRICARE footing the bill. Its a ridiculous policy.
I always thought growing up that was the requirement, I did not learn until much later in life that I was mislead by a teacher when I was a kid. It is a great idea in my opinion, for certain offices.
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CPT (Join to see)
FDR is highly regarded as one of, if not the best president of our nation.
Now he didn't become infected with Polio until we was 39, but what if he had been affected at age 18? He would never have been allowed entry into the military.
While "I will never ask my subordinates do something I myself have not or would not do" is a great motto, it isn't always true. As leaders we need to be willing to sacrifice, but we must remember we have different jobs with different functions and goals.
Now he didn't become infected with Polio until we was 39, but what if he had been affected at age 18? He would never have been allowed entry into the military.
While "I will never ask my subordinates do something I myself have not or would not do" is a great motto, it isn't always true. As leaders we need to be willing to sacrifice, but we must remember we have different jobs with different functions and goals.
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No, no, and NO!!! Like LTC Labrador stated, I prefer candidates who have some executive leadership experience. This can come from being a governor, CEO, or mayor. I also prefer those who have decent character, can be honest about their beliefs, have a record to back up those beliefs, and have good ideas for the country's future. I truly believe the executive experience is a must. For example, think of whatever business/company you are working in. Would you want some low level employee to all of a sudden become the top senior leader?
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SSG (Join to see)
SFC Warrick, I do understand that. As much as I would love for the President to have prior military service experience, I don't think it must be a requirement. For me, the core requirements are good character and beliefs, their record to back up their beliefs, and having good ideas for the country. Everything else is at best secondary.
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MSG(P) Michael Warrick
I understand that and agree with you that is very much needed. For me, personally I would add military service!
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SFC (Join to see)
Should it be a requirement? No. However, I do feel that prior military service can and does make a person more able to understand what members in uniform feel when it comes to our country.
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SFC (Join to see)
SSG Redondo, I am not sure that your examples of Kerry and Hagel having compassion for the military (military service is NOT an indication of compassion for the military. Two current huge examples are Kerry and Hagel. ) are valid. Both served in Vietnam. Kerry was in the Navy and Hagel was in the Army.
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Required to serve in the military - no.
Required to know how to lead the military as Commander in Chief - yes!
Required to know how to lead the military as Commander in Chief - yes!
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Suspended Profile
The beauty of our political system is that we do not need our president to have served in the military, but as service members, we have the choice to vote for candidates who have if we so desire.
Perhaps the better question is not should the president have completed military service, but what must be done to get more current and former service members to run for office so they can get the experience necessary to become strong presidential candidates?
Some may remember the Veterans Party which gained some popularity in the 2000 election. Their point was that if every current or former service member voted together in an election, we could put Donald Duck (or a Kardashian..perish the thought...) in the White House.
So, how do we get more men and women who have demonstrated a willingness to offer lives in service of the greater good to run for office?
Perhaps the better question is not should the president have completed military service, but what must be done to get more current and former service members to run for office so they can get the experience necessary to become strong presidential candidates?
Some may remember the Veterans Party which gained some popularity in the 2000 election. Their point was that if every current or former service member voted together in an election, we could put Donald Duck (or a Kardashian..perish the thought...) in the White House.
So, how do we get more men and women who have demonstrated a willingness to offer lives in service of the greater good to run for office?
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Absolutely, Yes it should be a requirement to become President. How can one be a Commander in Chief and have never served in the Armed Forces! Why do you think our military is being cut down and getting no budget to operate or train. It is because our current President does not understand the military way of life and what it need to operate and train to be the best in the world!
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COL (Join to see)
The downsizing of our military began shortly after the president Reagan administration and it has not fully recovered since.. The downsizing of our military has occurred at the recommendation of our military's senior leadership. The Barak Obama administration has made no decisions reference our military devoid of the advice of the military's senior leadership. The U.S. Army coined the phrase, "a smaller more lethal military." A recent Sergeant Major of the Army proposed cuts in personnel strength across the board. Cuts in personnel strength and resources has occurred at the recommendation of our senior military leadership. President Obama has only made decisions in support of the military's senior leadership.
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LTC (Join to see)
COL (Join to see) - Yes and since the military leadership came up with the cuts...
1. Russia annexed the Crimea and threatens the Baltics
2. We left Iraq without a SOFA and now we fight and use mostly air power to make it a stalemate if it were not for the Pesh Merga. The Shia-Iranian influenced Iraqi government has not had much success and we are back but we are now 50k smaller than we were 4 years ago.
3. China is now on the take in the South China sea buying and fixing up a Russian Air Craft Carrier and now is a threat to most nations in the region except for Thailand. They gave up on us and are now going to China since we criticized their overthrow but we did nothing about Gen. AL-Sisi of Egypt taking Egypt over and now we are losing a lot of influence.
4. Afghanistan is going back to unrest now that we are down to 10k soldiers and the Afghan government is divided.
5. Russia has built up the Artic with 5 new air strips and a full-time artic school and the Canadians are training too and we just dodged a bullet. The Pentagon was to reduce a BCT to a BN in Alaska but they finally saw the danger and changed their mind.
5. Iran is threatening the middle east in Yemen and our influence is not like it used to be.
6. We need to be ready for Korea and Western Europe and have more active duty soldiers on station or exercise. We are rotating troops in to Europe but it is a token force that can rampage through our Baltic NATO allies and yet the Air Force had to be hog-tied by Congresswoman McSally and Senator McCain to not mothball the A-10 that can do so much more than the overpriced and problematic (7 years behind schedule/$160 billion over budget with no end in sight) F-35.
Everyone needs to read this book from 2007. It is true today as it was then.
1. Russia annexed the Crimea and threatens the Baltics
2. We left Iraq without a SOFA and now we fight and use mostly air power to make it a stalemate if it were not for the Pesh Merga. The Shia-Iranian influenced Iraqi government has not had much success and we are back but we are now 50k smaller than we were 4 years ago.
3. China is now on the take in the South China sea buying and fixing up a Russian Air Craft Carrier and now is a threat to most nations in the region except for Thailand. They gave up on us and are now going to China since we criticized their overthrow but we did nothing about Gen. AL-Sisi of Egypt taking Egypt over and now we are losing a lot of influence.
4. Afghanistan is going back to unrest now that we are down to 10k soldiers and the Afghan government is divided.
5. Russia has built up the Artic with 5 new air strips and a full-time artic school and the Canadians are training too and we just dodged a bullet. The Pentagon was to reduce a BCT to a BN in Alaska but they finally saw the danger and changed their mind.
5. Iran is threatening the middle east in Yemen and our influence is not like it used to be.
6. We need to be ready for Korea and Western Europe and have more active duty soldiers on station or exercise. We are rotating troops in to Europe but it is a token force that can rampage through our Baltic NATO allies and yet the Air Force had to be hog-tied by Congresswoman McSally and Senator McCain to not mothball the A-10 that can do so much more than the overpriced and problematic (7 years behind schedule/$160 billion over budget with no end in sight) F-35.
Everyone needs to read this book from 2007. It is true today as it was then.
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I feel no. Military service isn't a neccassary part of being running for president, but draft dodging should be a disqualifier.
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SPC Thomas Baldwin
Thank you Sargent Major Quick, This is well received and I agree they are not service members, But the Services are a tool wielded by the office. Due you feel this would give a better perspective to when to and when not to use the services, and in what manor?
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