WASHINGTON — When former President Donald Trump selected J.D. Vance as his running mate for Vice President, most Americans looked at his military experience as one of the core attributes that contributed to his leadership ability: Vance served as a U.S. Marine Corps combat correspondent and is a veteran of the Iraq War. However, recent survey data showed that the majority of Americans were unaware that Vance was a POG.
“I thought I could trust J.D., but this changes everything,” said Gertrude Witherscotch, an 87-year-old voter from Muncie, Indiana. “I didn’t realize he was a rear echelon little bitch that probably can’t even dis-and-ass a 240.”
A recent Gallup poll found that 84% of voters either thought that Vance was a grunt or “at least in combat arms.” The same poll found that 69% of Americans are “highly unlikely” or “unlikely” to ever vote for a POG.
Vance has doubled down on his military experience on the campaign trail, claiming that POGs are “basically the same as infantry” and that “every Marine is a rifleman, even if they only carried a pencil and notepad on patrol.”
“I want to show Americans that even a POG can rise to the highest levels of government,” Vance said. “Our time is now!”
But is America ready for a POG Vice President? As it turns out, Vance wouldn’t be the first POG to serve as America’s second-in-command. Here’s a look back at some POG vice presidents throughout history.
Often known as “America’s First POG,” the nation’s fourth VP served as a privateer and militiaman during the French and Indian War. While these roles may seem akin to combat arms, because they were in service to the British government, they are considered POG by default.
Clinton’s father was also a colonel in the militia he enlisted in, so Clinton helped solidify a longstanding tradition of nepotism in the service.
The 15th Vice President was so bored during the Civil War that he enlisted as a private in the Maine State Coast Guard. Granted, the Coast Guard isn’t really the military, but it’s just enough to be considered a POG.
