WI Barack Obama Had Served In The Military?

Assuming that everything else stays the same (as much as possible, no butterfly effect), how would Barack Obama fare in his political career if he had served with distinction in the U.S military? You can fill in the details as you wish.
 
Assuming that everything else stays the same (as much as possible, no butterfly effect), how would Barack Obama fare in his political career if he had served with distinction in the U.S military? You can fill in the details as you wish.

Given his age, this would mean after Vietnam. I guess he'd be in the late 70s through the 80s or so.

I'd want to know whether he was just a grunt or whether he was an officer? Or, is this another George W; involvement but no evidence of duty.
 
He'd probably still be in the military, if he went as far there as he did in politics. He'd be either a sergeant-major/CPO (or whatever the US term for senior NCOs is) or he'd probably be a Colonel/Captain (N) or Brigadier-General/Admiral (whichever is equivalent to brigadier). Politics would be out of the question for five to ten years, at which point he'd have to start at the bottom unless he'd done something extraordinary. If he entered politics after leaving the military, he'd go farther if he were a commissioned officer than if he'd been an NCO.
 
Given his age, this would mean after Vietnam. I guess he'd be in the late 70s through the 80s or so.

I'd want to know whether he was just a grunt or whether he was an officer? Or, is this another George W; involvement but no evidence of duty.

Well, I did say with distinction in the OP, so he was good enough to merit some recognization by the command structure...

And you can feel in the details anyway you want, as long it's within the conditions of the OP...
 
I have a grim vision of General BHO being rolled out to trumpet the 'gains' being made by US military actions Iraq prior to the surge.
 

wormyguy

Banned
He'd probably still be in the military, if he went as far there as he did in politics. He'd be either a sergeant-major/CPO (or whatever the US term for senior NCOs is) or he'd probably be a Colonel/Captain (N) or Brigadier-General/Admiral (whichever is equivalent to brigadier). Politics would be out of the question for five to ten years, at which point he'd have to start at the bottom unless he'd done something extraordinary. If he entered politics after leaving the military, he'd go farther if he were a commissioned officer than if he'd been an NCO.

I'm not sure that would be the case. Joining the military, and being promoted to Colonel or Brigadier-General would be like playing high-school football, and becoming an NFL player (actually, the odds are almost exactly the same ~5000:1). Granted, he became POTUS in his OTL career, but as history has shown us too many times to count, a good politician does not necessarily a good officer make, or vice versa.
 
There'd be dozens of books being written about him being 'Unfit for Command', a vain egotist eager to sacrifice his men's lives for brownie points, exploiting his reputation, so on and so forth.
 
I dunno. If he had the good sense to avoid the military he'd probably be a better POTUS.


Anyhoo, distinction? Super army soldier equivalent, receiving accolades for distinguished service in Grenada, Panama and Gulf 1. Retired as a Colonel and wrote a book called "Barack in Barracks" shortly after entering politics. (Will Smith's character in ID is based loosely on him.)

As Wanda suggested, the muck-raking would bring up a lot of claims of implied cowardice or incompetence; whereas the Left would be sceptical about electing a 'military' man after Dubya's foreign dalliances.

EDIT: Barack [sic] Room Lawyer would be a better title.
 
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Hashasheen

Banned
Standard Republicant tactics to use against a Demolitioncrat with military experience (which is the Reps' main 'selling point').
If he had joined the army, why would he still remain a Democrat? He could become Republican or even an independent.:)
 

Hashasheen

Banned
BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE!!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

No-one impunes the honour of the Obamessiah so!
Forgive me Wanderlust for speaking ill of the God-Emperor of Hawaii, President of America, Favored Son of God, Pope of Popes, and King of Kings. I ask forgiveness from you, Prior of the AH.Com Obamaniacs. Praise be to Obama! :)
 
While I'm not clear on how the US military system works, I think Obama would join the ROTC. He seems to be a man who want up in the world so I dubt he become a grunt. I wonder if his upbringing make him more interesting to Special Forces or something like that? Anyway, is it possible that he fight in Grenada?
 
While I'm not clear on how the US military system works, I think Obama would join the ROTC. He seems to be a man who want up in the world so I dubt he become a grunt. I wonder if his upbringing make him more interesting to Special Forces or something like that? Anyway, is it possible that he fight in Grenada?

Yes, he would probably fight in Grenada.
 
According to Wiki, he gradated Colombia 1983, the same year as the invasion. I think ROTC is a big mystery so I don't know if he can become a fresh 2nd Lt and join the campaign as a Marine or airborne. Can he?

Of course, if he become a soldier after high school, he need to stay in the service for 4 years to be in Grenada. What is the minimum requirements of the era?

Of corse, Obama joining the military might lead to my favourite Obama PoD, he join the CIA or the FBI. Due to his Kenyan background, he might end up in Kenya around the Embassy bombing and come up against Al Quida....
 
According to Wiki, he gradated Colombia 1983, the same year as the invasion. I think ROTC is a big mystery so I don't know if he can become a fresh 2nd Lt and join the campaign as a Marine or airborne. Can he?

Of course, if he become a soldier after high school, he need to stay in the service for 4 years to be in Grenada. What is the minimum requirements of the era?

Of corse, Obama joining the military might lead to my favourite Obama PoD, he join the CIA or the FBI. Due to his Kenyan background, he might end up in Kenya around the Embassy bombing and come up against Al Quida....

If he got his degree through the miltary, then he has to stay in to 2 to 4 years (depending on what the requirements are at that time) after graduating from college...
 
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