Ranking

A thought occurred to me reading about civilian control of the military. I remember Bill Clinton as being the first president in a long time who hadn't served. That got me to thinking about what rank the various presidents attained in the Military.

Note that the "reserve" does not mean "not active duty". The military has long divided the officers into regular and reserve.

I am showing election to election unless there's a death or resignation for the dates.

2020-         Joe Biden (Democrat) -- No military service.

2016-2020 Donald Trump (Republican) -- No military service.

2008-2016 Barack Obama (Democrat) -- No military service.

2000-2008 George W Bush (Republican) -- 1st Lieutenant (O-2) -- Air Force -- No combat

1992-2000 Bill Clinton (Democrat) -- No military service.

1988-1992 George H W Bush (Republican) -- Lieutenant (O-3) -- Navy Reserve -- WW2 Combat

1980-1988 Ronald Reagan (Republican) -- Captain (O-3) -- Army Reserve -- No Combat

1976-1980 Jimmy Carter (Democrat) -- Lieutenant (O-3) -- Navy -- No Combat

1974-1976 Gerald Ford (Republican) -- Lieutenant (O-3) -- Navy Reserve -- WW2 Combat

1968-1974 Richard Nixon (Republican) -- Commander (O-5) -- Navy Reserve -- WW2 Combat

1963-1968 Lyndon Johnson (Democrat) -- Commander (O-5) -- Navy Reserve -- WW2 Combat

1960-1963 John Kennedy (Democrat) -- Lieutenant (O-3) -- Navy Reserve -- WW2 Combat

1952-1960 Dwight Eisenhower (Republican) -- General of the Army (O-11) -- Army -- WW1 and WW2 Combat

1945-1952 Harry Truman (Democrat) -- Colonel (O-6) -- Army -- WW1 Combat

1932-1945 Franklin Roosevelt (Democrat) -- No military service.

1928-1932 Herbert Hoover (Republican) -- No military service.

1923-1928 Calvin Coolidge (Republican) -- No military service.

1920-1923 Warren Harding (Republican) -- No military service.

1912-1920 Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) -- No military service.

1908-1912 William Taft (Republican) -- No military service.

1900-1908 Teddy Roosevelt (Republican) -- Colonel (O-6) -- Army -- Spanish/American War Combat

1896-1900 William McKinley (Republican) -- Brevet Major (O-5) -- Army -- Civil War

1892-1896 Grover Cleveland (Democrat) -- No military service. Drafted for Civil War and paid his way out of service.

1888-1892 Benjamin Harrison (Republican) -- Brevet Brigadier General (O-7) -- Army -- Civil War

1884-1888 Grover Cleveland (Democrat) -- Same guy as 1892-1896

1881-1884 Chester Arthur (Republican) -- Quartermaster General (O-7) -- New York Militia -- No Combat

1880-1881 James Garfield (Republican) -- Major General of Volunteers (O-8) -- Army -- Civil War

1876-1880 Rutherford Hayes (Republican) -- Brevet Major General of Volunteers (O-8) -- Army -- Civil War

1868-1876 Ulysses Grant (Republican) -- General of the Army (O-10) -- Army -- Mexican/American War and Civil War

1865-1868 Andrew Johnson (National Union/Democrat)-- Brigadier General of Volunteers (O-7) -- Army -- No Combat

1860-1865 Abraham Lincoln (Republican/National Union) -- Captain (O-3) -- Illinois Militia -- No Combat

1856-1860 James Buchanan (Democrat) -- Private (E-1) -- Army -- War of 1812 -- Only enlisted president!

1852-1856 Franklin Pierce (Democrat) -- Brigadier General of Volunteers (O-7) -- Army -- Mexican/American War

1850-1852 Millard Fillmore (Whig) -- Major (O-5) -- Army -- No Combat

1848-1850 Zachary Taylor (Whig) -- Major General (O-8) -- Army -- War of 1812, Blackhawk War, Second Seminole War and Mexican/American War

1844-1848 James Polk (Democrat) -- Colonel (O-6) -- Tennessee Militia -- No Combat

1841-1844 John Tyler (Whig/Unaffiliated)-- Captain (O-3) -- Virginia Militia -- War of 1812

1840-1841 William Harrison (Whig) -- Major General (O-8) -- Army -- Northwest Indian War and War of 1812

1836-1840 Martin Van Buren (Democrat) -- No military service.

1828-1836 Andrew Jackson (Democrat) -- Major General (O-8) -- Continental Army and Army -- Revolutionary War, Creek War, War of 1812 and First Seminole War

1824-1828 John Quincy Adams (Democrat-Republican) -- No military service.

1816-1824 James Monroe (Democrat-Republican) -- Major (O-5) -- Continental Army and Virginia State Troops -- Revolutionary War

1808-1816 James Madison (Democrat-Republican) -- Colonel (O-6) -- Orange County Virginia Militia -- No Combat

1800-1808 Thomas Jefferson (Democrat-Republican) -- Colonel (O-6) -- Virginia Militia -- No Combat

1796-1800 John Adams (Federalist)-- No military service.

1788-1796 George Washington (Unaffiliated) -- General of the Armies of the United States (O-12?) -- Continental Army, Armies of the United States, Virginia Militia -- French and Indian War and Revolutionary War.