Recently, people have been questioning why President Joe Biden did not serve in the United States military. With renewed interest in his draft history, many are looking into the reasons behind his deferments and exemption from service during the Vietnam War era.
So, why didn’t President Joe Biden join the US military? Here are all the details.
Why didn’t Joe Biden join the US military?
Joe Biden didn’t join the US military because of his medical history with asthma as a teenager.
He received five draft deferments during his college years, initially as an undergraduate and later as a law student.
In April 1968, Biden underwent a medical examination which led to his classification as “1-Y.” This meant he was only eligible for military service in the event of a national emergency. This classification was attributed to his medical history of asthma as a teenager. In 2008, Biden’s Selective Service records were released. The records revealed that his deferments were first due to his educational pursuits and later due to health reasons.
Social media posts have suggested that Biden used his asthma as a pretext to avoid military service despite his active lifestyle as a high school football player and lifeguard. One Facebook post read, “Lifeguard/football player Joe Biden got five draft deferments for asthma during Vietnam.” These claims have been flagged for misinformation, as they often overlook the fact that Biden’s deferments began while he was a student. The asthma diagnosis after his last student deferment in January 1968 confirmed his exemption from the draft.
The scrutiny over Biden’s draft deferments surfaced again during his 2008 vice-presidential campaign when his records were examined. Biden’s spokesperson at the time explained that the deferments were due to his student status initially and then due to the medical classification of 1-Y after his physical exam in 1968. This classification meant he could only be drafted in case of a national emergency, a status that ended in 1971.
