# How important to you is military service of a Presidental candidate? {Poll now in OP} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 23, 2022, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439 "2022-07-23T16:18:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/1 "2022-07-23T16:18:34Z")
Does it tip the balance from a “lukewarm” candidate to someone who will definitely get your vote? _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/2 "2022-07-23T16:19:55Z")
Not definitely, but it does show someone has some discipline and knowledge of things. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/3 "2022-07-23T16:20:02Z")
Not really. And I say this as a lifelong military vet. I hope that if they don’t have some understanding of military matters, their Secretary of Defense does. And that in any matter, they’ll choose experienced advisors and then listen to the advice offered. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/4 "2022-07-23T16:35:37Z")
If the Candidate is a Hawk, they should be a Vet. If they’re not a Hawk, I don’t consider it to be very important. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/5 "2022-07-23T16:44:38Z")
Very little importance in of itself, it’s just part of the context. Might be a positive, might be a negative depending on the person. But it is worth noting that I’d prefer my presidents be little seen bland technocrats and policy wonks. I’m mildly, but reflexively anti-presidential. I just don’t entirely trust the charismatic and ambitious. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/6 "2022-07-23T16:48:19Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Does it tip the balance from a “lukewarm” candidate to someone who will definitely get your vote? I would prefer that a candidate has some military experience, simply because they’re the commander & chief of the armed forces. However, a preferred qualification is not a required qualification, and it probably won’t tip the balance for me. The lack of military experience didn’t stop me from voting for Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/7 "2022-07-23T16:49:07Z")
Very little on its own, but if it enhances a candidate’s apparent electability, then it might influence my support. For potential presidents, I generally try to support the candidate whose views are pretty close to mine AND who I think has the best chance to win. Military service could enhance that latter factor. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/8 "2022-07-23T16:55:30Z")
Like any other facet of a candidate’s experience, I’d have to know more about what he or she did with it. A decorated veteran who is held in high regard by peers? That’s a plus. Spent a few years in the Air National Guard to get out of going to Vietnam and shirking what limited responsibilities he had? That’s a minus. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/9 "2022-07-23T16:59:35Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > simply because they’re the commander & chief of the armed forces Nitpick (since that’s what we do around here): The president is “Commander In Chief” of the armed forces. > [@What\_Exit](#): > > If the Candidate is a Hawk, they should be a Vet. > If they’re not a Hawk, I don’t consider it to be very important. I can subscribe to this. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/10 "2022-07-23T17:01:50Z")
As likely to be a negative as a positive. There are a ton of douchebag politicians that served only to use that as a cudgel to quash criticism while later running for office later. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/11 "2022-07-23T17:03:35Z")
Perhaps I should have made this a poll or something to measure what’s most important to people as far as a candidate’s resume….🤔 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/12 "2022-07-23T17:06:04Z")
Not at all. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/13 "2022-07-23T17:07:00Z")
If you come up with the poll questions, I can insert it into the OP for you. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/14 "2022-07-23T17:32:11Z")
I would need to know more _about_ their service, beyond just the fact that they served in the military somehow. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/15 "2022-07-23T18:24:54Z")
It’s nothing to me. General Eisenhower- pretty decent president. General Flynn- unworthy of any job in public service. Give me a president who prefers diplomacy over military action. Sometimes military types are the ones who want to avoid confrontation, sometimes not. The mere existence of a military record doesn’t guarantee my vote one way or another, I just want to know what will be the foundation of his foreign policy. “Human rights” is a lot more appealing to me than “America First”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/16 "2022-07-23T18:27:22Z")
If they were in the service it might depend on what they did there. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/17 "2022-07-23T19:22:21Z")
Should I just post them or send them to you? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/18 "2022-07-23T19:34:18Z")
I find it fascinating that most people simple ignore the fact that the military has been and still is full of Nazis, white extremists, Christian extremists, homophobes, transphobes, antisemites, willing torturers, xenophobes, and thousands and thousands of sexual harassers and rapists, from the lowest recruit to . Every year there are multiple negative reports and studies of the military, including many Congressional hearings, and every year the military promises to do better while kicking the problem down the road. This is not the same as saying that the military is utterly corrupt and worthless. Yet the automatic near deification of anyone who has served is as severe self-blindness as climate change denial. Let the individual prove their worth exactly as if they have had any other life experience. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/19 "2022-07-23T19:37:36Z")
I don’t think it really matters. It’s nice and all, but I don’t think required. The question kinda reminds me of folks who say I should support a veteran -owned business because it’s owned by a vet. Or buy local only because it’s a locally-owned business. Screw that. I vote for who I want to and I spend my money where I want to. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439/20 "2022-07-23T19:47:52Z")
Doesn’t make a big difference to me, no more then any other job they held in their past. Not a negative, but not necessarily a positive. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-important-to-you-is-military-service-of-a-presidental-candidate-poll-now-in-op/968439.md?page=2)