The statement is thought to be the first time during the 19-month-long presidential campaign that the Democratic nominee for the White House has indicated he once wanted to serve in uniform. The aspiration was not mentioned in either of his two volumes of memoirs.
Mr Obama was asked by George Stephanopoulos of ABC’s “This Week” programme whether he’d ever thought about military service and replied: “You know, I actually did. I had to sign up for Selective Service [a means of conscription in case of war] when I graduated from high school.
“And I was growing up in Hawaii. And I have friends whose parents were in the military. There are a lot of Army, military bases there.