Over half of all United States Presidents served in the Armed Forces in some capacity. Twenty four presidents served in wars, and six presidents were in the military but saw no action. Because some presidents served in the military during war time but saw no action, it is unclear exactly how many presidents can be considered war veterans. However, there are twenty four presidents who are confirmed war veterans. Twelve U.S. presidents have no military experience at all.

An example of a president who was in the military but saw no action was George W. Bush. He was a member of the Air National Guard during the Vietnam war but did not fight in combat. He spent much of his tenure in Houston, Texas, and therefore it is debatable whether he can be considered one of the presidential war veterans. Other presidents who are not considered war veterans, though they did serve in the military, include: James Madison, James Polk, Millard Filmore, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. Reagan was kept from service because of his poor eyesight.

While Abraham Lincoln is one president who makes the list of war veterans, his service in the militia during the Black Hawk War was unremarkable and insubstantial. Seven United States presidents were war veterans of the Civil War, which was overseen by President Lincoln. No president other than Harry Truman served in World War I, but six U.S. presidents are war veterans of World War II: Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush.

Five U.S. presidents are war veterans of the War of 1812: Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor and James Buchanan. Four U.S. presidents are war veterans of more than one war: Andrew Jackson, William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant. Three presidents served in the American Revolution: Andrew Jackson, James Monroe, and George Washington -- who was the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.