16 Musicians Who’ve Served in the US Military

There are quite a few rock and metal musicians who’ve served in the U.S. military, so we thank them and all the other U.S. veterans for their service.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, we celebrate Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11 in the U.S. every year because during World War I, an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations went into effect during the 11AM hour on Nov. 11, 1918, thus bringing the fighting to an end.

The day was originally declared “Armistice Day,” and though it was celebrated with parades and meetings every year afterward, it was officially recognized as a legal holiday in 1938. In 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor the sacrifices of all American veterans.

By that point, several high-profile musicians had already served in the military, including Elvis Presley and B.B. King. They weren’t the first rockers to enlist, and they weren’t the last either.

READ MORE: 13 Rock + Metal Musicians Who Had Other Careers Before Music

Maynard James Keenan of Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer joined the army after graduating high school in hopes that the G.I. Bill would help with his desire to go to art school. Limp Bizkit‘s Fred Durst served a brief stint in the Navy. All That Remains‘ Phil Labonte was in the Marines after several of his family members had served in different branches.

Some of the artists listed below served full terms, while others lasted temporarily. Either way, they all deserve to be recognized for their service.

Scroll through the gallery below to see 16 musicians who’ve served in the U.S. military. Happy Veteran’s Day from Loudwire!