There have been great presidents who never did any soldiering, of course, but there has never been this long a run of American commanders in chief who haven’t seen war up close. 

Now that the only veteran to have seriously contended for the 2024 presidency, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), is gone from the race for the Republican nomination, the conversation I had with him back in December feels different. Serving, after all, changes you in personal ways, especially if, like DeSantis, you actually served in a combat zone.