32 Celebrities Who Served in the Military

Serving in the military is a proud tradition for countless people around the world. However, it's not just your cousin who wants to serve his country or your former ROTC buddies who end up enlisting. For many celebrities, the military was the first step in their long road to fame.

Not only does a military career provide a steady paycheck before you start selling out stadiums or snagging blockbuster roles—it can also provide the much-needed discipline required to tough it out in showbiz. For these stars, the military started them on the hard-earned path to the stardom most are still enjoying today. Read on to learn more.

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Celebrity Veterans

Mr. T pities the fool who didn't serve his country. Prior to the sweet hairstyle, the gold chains, and The A-Team, Mr. T was just Lawrence Turead, a kid from Chicago with a lot of awesome action roles in his future. Before Hollywood came calling, however, he served as a squad leader in the Military Police Corps.

His long hair and second act as a marijuana entrepreneur might seem to conflict with the regimented lifestyle of a service member, but country hippie Willie Nelson was once a military man, too. When he was just 17 years old, Nelson enlisted in the Air Force, serving until a back injury required him to resign.

Clint Eastwood isn't just a badass on screen. Long before the Oscar-winner was an actor, he served in the United States Army. While his tenure in the armed forces coincided with the Korean War, Eastwood reportedly never saw combat, taking a post in Northern California for the duration of his military career.

Elvis Presley is one of the rare celebrities who served in the military after achieving fame. He was drafted into the Army in 1958, after his hits "Hound Dog," "Heartbreak Hotel," and "Jailhouse Rock" were already topping the charts. In fact, it was during the King's time serving in Germany that he met Priscilla Beaulieu, who would later become his wife.

Long before he had the Playboy Mansion, The Girls Next Door, or his Popeye-inspired wardrobe, Hugh Hefner was a military man. However, it was his unconventional role in the Army that prepared him for his future as a publishing magnate: Following a stint as an infantry clerk, Hefner wrote for a military paper for two years in the 1940s.

The Golden Girls thanked her for being a friend, but you can also thank the late Bea Arthur for enlisting in the service. Arthur served in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve, driving trucks and typing memos for nearly three years before receiving an honorable discharge in 1945.

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While Ice-T's musical career may be full of anti-authority anthems, the Law and Order: SVU star was once working for the man. Ice-T spent four years in the Army, including a stint as a squad leader in Hawaii, following the birth of his first child, eventually earning an honorable discharge before dedicating himself to his music career.

The only thing half as impressive as Tony Bennett's career as a singer is his time in the military. Before the Queens-born crooner was a household name, he served in the United States Army at the tail end of World War II. In fact, Bennett's regiment was instrumental in liberating the prisoners of Germany's Landsburg concentration camp in April, 1945.

Although Jerry Garcia's penchant for illicit substances may have made him a less-than-ideal candidate for a career in the military, the Grateful Dead founder served nonetheless. Garcia was enlisted in the Army by his mother in 1960, although he spent less than a year training in California before being discharged.

MMA star Randy Couture's career didn't begin in the ring—it began in the Army. For six years, the UFC heavyweight served in the 101st Airborne, working his way up to sergeant before leaving the armed forces in 1988. While some might assume Couture learned his technique during his service, he told Muscle & Fitness that his flair for fighting wasn't honed until much later. "I had very limited boxing training in the army, I had never been a street fighter—I'd been a grappler and a wrestler my whole life," he told the magazine.

Drew Carey's trademark haircut is a dead giveaway he's a military man. Long before Whose Line is it Anyway? and his eponymous sitcom, the comic served for six years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve.

Taking orders from commanding officers more than prepared James Earl Jones for the demands of a movie set. Prior to lending his velvety voice to the iconic role of Darth Vader in Star Wars, Jones served as an ROTC cadet before serving in the United States Army in the early '50s during the Korean War.

Prior to inhabiting the World of Pure Imagination, Gene Wilder was training as a soldier. The actor served in the Army's medical corps for a year before committing himself to acting full-time.

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The actor-turned-natural-food-entrepreneur was a Navy man before his career in entertainment took off. Paul Newman served during World War II, spending time in Hawaii and Japan before returning to his native Ohio to attend college in 1945.

The Man in Black was once the man in fatigues. At the tender age of 18, Johnny Cash joined the Air Force, serving in Texas and Germany before receiving an honorable discharge after four years of service in 1954.

At age 17, The King of Cool joined the United States Marine Corps. Serving for three years, Steve McQueen went AWOL before recommitting to the service. He was eventually appointed to the Marines Honor Guard, keeping a watchful eye on President Harry Truman's yacht before he was honorably discharged in 1950.

Before there was Spock, there was the service. Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy was a member of the United States Army Reserve, working his way up to sergeant before being discharged in 1955.

The man who could make reading the phone book sound cool was once using his talents to serve the United States. Prior to his big break, Morgan Freeman spent four years in the Air Force, rising to the rank of airman first class and specializing in radar repair during his military tenure.

Iconic director Mel Brooks was drafted into the Army one year into his college career. He achieved the rank of corporal, serving his country during World War II.

Prior to discovering he was too legit to quit, MC Hammer was a petty officer in the Navy. However, his desire to wear loose-fitting pants and no shirt proved too strong and he was given an honorable discharge after serving for three years.

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Adam Driver's trademark intensity was learned in the service. Prior to Star Wars and his breakout role in Girls, the actor was in the Marine Corps for nearly three years until an injury led to a medical discharge.

Here's a Chuck Norris fact you probably haven't heard: The Walker, Texas Ranger star was once a member of the military police. Norris enlisted in the Air Force in 1958, serving for four years. It was during his time in the service that he first became interested in martial arts; he credits a stint in Korea for inspiring his passion for judo and tang soo do.

Long before he was forcing feuding family members to confront one another in front of a live studio audience, Montel Williams was training in the Marine Corps. He served for 15 years between the Marines and Navy, working his way up to lieutenant commander before leaving for his eponymous talk show in the early '90s.

Jimi Hendrix did a lot in the 27 short years he spent on earth. However, among the more surprising of his accomplishments was his military service; he spent a year enlisted as a paratrooper from 1961 to 1962.

Oliver Stone's gritty portrayal of war in films like Born on the Fourth of July and Platoon stems from the director's lived experience. Before his work in Hollywood, Stone was in the Army, spending over a year serving in the Vietnam War, eventually earning a purple heart for his service.

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Before he was the famously mustachioed star of shows like Magnum P.I., Friends, and Blue Bloods, Tom Selleck was that famously mustachioed guy in the National Guard. Although his career in the entertainment industry had already started with a few commercial and TV roles, Selleck spent six years serving in the 160th Infantry Regiment before setting his sights on acting full-time.

While our shared delusion about a '90s movie starring Sinbad called Shazaam can't be explained, the comic's whereabouts in the early '80s can. Before his comedy career took off, he served in the Air Force before being discharged for string of behavior-related incidents.

It wasn't him on the counter, the sofa, the shower, or the bathroom floor, but it definitely was Shaggy in the United States Marine Corps. The "Boombastic" singer earned the rank of lance corporal and even served in the Persian Gulf War.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

Arthur's co-star Betty White wasn't just a comedy pioneer—she served her country during World War II, as well. Upon her 2021 death, the official U.S. Army X (formerly Twitter) account acknowledged her time in the American Women's Voluntary Services, describing her as a "a true legend on and off the screen."

Casablanca star Humphrey Bogart was expelled from his boarding school before he could matriculate to Yale, so instead of going to college at all, he enlisted in the Navy. He served from 1918 to 1919, reportedly getting the scar on his upper lip that set him apart from other film stars as he was shuttling other soldiers between the U.S. and Europe, though accounts differ on what exactly happen. He also enlisted in the Naval Reserve before finding fame as an actor.

You know him from comedies including The Hangover and 21 Jump Street, but Rob Riggle's service buddies know him from his years in the Marine Corps. He was active duty for several years—traveling to Kosovo and Afghanistan, among other places—and continued doing his civic duty even as he established himself as a professional comedian. As a member of the Marine Corps Reserve, he was called to Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11 and subsequently returned to active duty for two more tours.

Godfather star Robert Duvall's father was in the Navy, but he went his own way in the service, enlisting in the Army after the end of the Korean War and serving two years. Decades later, the actor supports his fellow vets by making visits to Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals.