Did other US presidents like Bill Clinton or Joe Biden serve in the military?

1. What the compiled lists say: who served and who didn’t

Major compiled lists of presidents by military service — including veteran.com’s roster and other historical roundups — count roughly 29–31 presidents who served in some capacity and identify a smaller group who did not, placing Clinton and Biden among those without prior service ^{[2] [3]}. Wikipedia’s overview of presidential military service likewise emphasizes that prior service is not required and that many presidents historically did serve, but not all ^[1].

2. Bill Clinton: public record and the absence of military service

Contemporary lists that enumerate presidents who served in the armed forces do not include Bill Clinton among the veterans; veteran‑focused summaries and historical roundups treat Clinton as a president without military service ^[2]. Available sources do not discuss any documented enlistment or commission for Clinton, so the reporting consensus is that he did not serve ^[2].

3. Joe Biden: public record and the absence of military service

Similarly, standard listings of presidents by military background do not list Joe Biden as a veteran; Biden is counted with the presidents who reached the White House without prior armed‑forces service ^{[2] [3]}. Available sources do not report military enlistment, commissioning, or service history for Biden in these compilations ^[2].

4. How historians frame military service and modern presidencies

Historians emphasize that military service was once a common credential for presidents, especially after large wars such as the Civil War and World War II; that influence has waned over time, and several recent presidents have been civilians at election ^{[1] [4]}. The Miller Center notes that since George H.W. Bush’s 1988 victory, voters have often selected commanders‑in‑chief who were not combat veterans, a trend continuing into the 21st century ^[4].

5. Why lists differ on the exact count of veteran presidents

Different organizations report slightly different totals (commonly 29–31 of 45/46 presidents) depending on whether they count militia service, colonial-era service, or brief noncombat roles; veteran.com and the USO cite figures around 31 of 46 presidents having served in some capacity ^{[2] [3]}. These methodological choices explain why one source might say “29” while another says “31” ^{[2] [3]}.

6. Political salience: why service (or lack of it) matters in campaigns

Reporting and analysis emphasize that military service has been used both as an asset and a liability in campaigns — sometimes sought for credibility on security, sometimes questioned over details (examples cited include George W. Bush and John Kerry) — but modern electoral outcomes show voters do not require a veteran background to elect a president ^{[1] [4]}. The Miller Center and other commentators argue the declining emphasis on service reflects broader changes in voter priorities after World War II ^[4].

7. Limits of the available reporting and what we cannot confirm

Available sources provided here list which presidents had military service and which did not, but they do not offer exhaustive personnel records for every individual president; that said, the widely used compilations and institutional summaries do not identify Clinton or Biden as veterans ^{[2] [3]}. If you want primary‑source military records (e.g., selective service, enlistment files), those are not included in the materials provided and are “not found in current reporting” supplied here.

8. Bottom line for your question

Based on authoritative lists and veteran‑focused summaries in the available reporting, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden did not serve in the U.S. military; this pattern fits a broader modern trend in which recent presidents often reach the White House without prior military service ^{[2] [4]}.