29 American presidents who served in the military

• The president is considered the commander-in-chief of the US military.

• A total of 29 US presidents have served in the American military in some capacity.

• The last president to see combat was George H. W. Bush.

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Serving in the military isn't a prerequisite for becoming president. Nonetheless, out of the 44 presidents of the United States, 29 had some military experience in their background, according to the US Department of Veterans Affairs. This seems fitting, given that the president is the commander-in-chief of America's military.

Military service also came up as a political issue over time. The military service of both George W. Bush and John Kerry received heavily scrutiny during the 2004 presidential campaign.

And, while observers have pointed out that US President Donald Trump has a fondness for military trappings and parades — even sparking anger by referring to his staff as "my generals," Business Insider's Mark Abadi reported — the medical deferment that kept him out of the Vietnam War is a source of controversy.

These are the presidents who served in the armed forces in some capacity, from the modern day to the American Revolution:

SEE ALSO: America's 9 Greatest War Hero Presidents

George W. Bush

Service: Texas Air National Guard

Rank: First Lieutenant 

Conflict: Stateside during the Vietnam War

George H. W. Bush

Service: United States Naval Reserve

Rank: Lieutenant (junior grade)

Conflict: World War II 

Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross 

Ronald Reagan

Service: United States Army Reserve, United States Army Air Corps

Rank: Captain

Conflict: Stateside during World War II 

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

source http://www.businessinsider.com/american-presidents-who-served-in-the-military-2016-6