Army raising enlistment age...for NON-PRIOR

[piesmatt]

Test program to up RC enlistment age
By Jonathan Del Marcus

March 22, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 22, 2005, Army News Service) –The Army has announced a three-year test program to evaluate raising the reserve-component non-prior-service maximum enlistment age from less than 35 years of age to less than 40 years of age.

The program will evaluate the feasibility of a permanent change to the enlistment policy for the Army reserve components, officials said. The test will begin immediately and continue through Sept. 30, 2008.

http://www4.army.mil/news/article.php?story=7052


It kills me how as desperate as the Army is they're only allowing non-prior service to enlist.

Well, The United States Military is stretched almost to the limit...

[PhillyMobster]

I don't understand how they think its gonna help their problem. If someone joins the military when they're 39 years old, its not likely that they'll get much rank before they're old and grey. Also, college benefits won't be much of a pull for these guys, given their age. I highly doubt this is going to solve the recruitment problem.

[WARPIG]

I don't understand how they think its gonna help their problem. If someone joins the military when they're 39 years old, its not likely that they'll get much rank before they're old and grey. Also, college benefits won't be much of a pull for these guys, given their age. I highly doubt this is going to solve the recruitment problem.

It's not 39, it's 35. I have talked to a lot of people who want to serve. I am a recruiter. A lot of people just want to serve to do their part. My office partner and I put a prior service guy in last year that was over 50 years old. A Doctorate level scholar with a very well established practice asked to serve his country as a CPL in an Infantry unit. It took a lot of exceptions to policy and waivers but we put the guy in. He is in Iraq right now doing his part. I am glad to see that we can open doors for more real citizens that just want to serve in my organization.

[PhillyMobster]

I don't understand how they think its gonna help their problem. If someone joins the military when they're 39 years old, its not likely that they'll get much rank before they're old and grey. Also, college benefits won't be much of a pull for these guys, given their age. I highly doubt this is going to solve the recruitment problem.

It's not 39, it's 35. I have talked to a lot of people who want to serve. I am a recruiter. A lot of people just want to serve to do their part. My office partner and I put a prior service guy in last year that was over 50 years old. A Doctorate level scholar with a very well established practice asked to serve his country as a CPL in an Infantry unit. It took a lot of exceptions to policy and waivers but we put the guy in. He is in Iraq right now doing his part. I am glad to see that we can open doors for more real citizens that just want to serve in my organization.

Its 35 now, I think the article meant that they will be raising it to 39. I don't have a problem with guys joining up when they're older, I think its great that they feel they have a responsibility to serve their country, but my point is, I just don't feel that its going to fill the current recruitment gaps.

Just out of curiousity, are there any special benefits offered to older recruits? I know theres a big draw with the college benefits and all for the younger crowd, but apart from personal motivation, are there any deals offered for the old guys?

"old guys" life starts at 40!!
woot woot :hug:

[Zoomie]

And this in a way is a Repost (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=42009).

[TarwarWarrior]

****, in Canada we accept people from age 16-57 now.

I *wish* we hada 39 year old cap!

-TW, out!-

[Buckeye67]

Enlistment stuff

Thinkin' of me when you posted this one, eh coworker buddy? p-)


Its 35 now, I think the article meant that they will be raising it to 39. I don't have a problem with guys joining up when they're older, I think its great that they feel they have a responsibility to serve their country, but my point is, I just don't feel that its going to fill the current recruitment gaps.

Just out of curiousity, are there any special benefits offered to older recruits? I know theres a big draw with the college benefits and all for the younger crowd, but apart from personal motivation, are there any deals offered for the old guys?

That's correct. They're increasing the maximum age for non-prior service enlistments into the Reserve/National Guard to 39. I don't think that doing so is meant to fill all of the current "gaps", however it'll provide a larger pool of candidates to help.

Most of the guys who'd consider enlisting in their 30's (like me, although I'm prior service) are going to be motivated primarily by a sense of duty. However, I would imagine the same package of G.I. Bill and cash bonuses for enlistments would apply to a 38 year old enlistee just as well as an 18 year old.

[mi35d]

Older troops tend to be more mature, have less financial problems, already have some education, have work skills - life experience, etc.

Quite often they take the responsibility of being a soldier more seriously and act as better NCO's.

Also, at that point in their life they're more aware of what they're doing when they're signing on the dotted line. Illusions of granduer are far gone and they have a greater understanding of the "job aspect" of being in the military.

I don't think its recruiting numbers that are driving this. Its an older population that wants the opportunity that they may have missed when younger. (I was able to attend the OCS program five years ago - before Iraq, etc. because they raised the max age from 32 to 35.)

[James]

I have talked to a lot of people who want to serve. I am a recruiter. A lot of people just want to serve to do their part. My office partner and I put a prior service guy in last year that was over 50 years old. A Doctorate level scholar with a very well established practice asked to serve his country as a CPL in an Infantry unit. It took a lot of exceptions to policy and waivers but we put the guy in. He is in Iraq right now doing his part. I am glad to see that we can open doors for more real citizens that just want to serve in my organization.

Thanks man. Semper Fi. ;)

[WARPIG]

I don't understand how they think its gonna help their problem. If someone joins the military when they're 39 years old, its not likely that they'll get much rank before they're old and grey. Also, college benefits won't be much of a pull for these guys, given their age. I highly doubt this is going to solve the recruitment problem.

It's not 39, it's 35. I have talked to a lot of people who want to serve. I am a recruiter. A lot of people just want to serve to do their part. My office partner and I put a prior service guy in last year that was over 50 years old. A Doctorate level scholar with a very well established practice asked to serve his country as a CPL in an Infantry unit. It took a lot of exceptions to policy and waivers but we put the guy in. He is in Iraq right now doing his part. I am glad to see that we can open doors for more real citizens that just want to serve in my organization.

Its 35 now, I think the article meant that they will be raising it to 39. I don't have a problem with guys joining up when they're older, I think its great that they feel they have a responsibility to serve their country, but my point is, I just don't feel that its going to fill the current recruitment gaps.

Just out of curiousity, are there any special benefits offered to older recruits? I know theres a big draw with the college benefits and all for the younger crowd, but apart from personal motivation, are there any deals offered for the old guys?

No deals at all. Some older guys don't care about the benefits. You'd be surprised at how many of the young recruits give two ****s about the benefits now. College money is a big deal, and I get to give some kids a really good crack at an education when they didn't have one before. The bulk of people I know who are college minded are gonna go with or without Uncle Pockets to pay for it. Some people just like the idea of service.
As far as plugging the recruiting gap.. it will help. Most of the recruiting shortfall is because the mission got bigger. More people getting out of the military... less of the people that join for the benefits.. and a need for a bigger military = more recruits that we need to put in. Think about it.. the more people who are joining because they want to serve, the less we have to replace them.

[usm2b]

Damn a 40yr old PFC would be hella weird..., and they would most likely be way, way, way underpayed, as to the job they would be leaving.

whats the percentage of people over 30 that actually try to enlist, anyone have stats?

[WARPIG]

I can't tell you stats, but I have seen quite a few people who walk away from their higher paying jobs to go serve in Iraq. This is the National Guard though. So, after their tour they get to come back to their jobs. It's not that uncommon. This year a HS teacher joined my state's LRPS unit as SPC. He didn't care about any money or benefits. He just wanted to be in a hi-speed unit.

[Werewolf01]

I can't tell you stats, but I have seen quite a few people who walk away from their higher paying jobs to go serve in Iraq. This is the National Guard though. So, after their tour they get to come back to their jobs. It's not that uncommon. This year a HS teacher joined my state's LRPS unit as SPC. He didn't care about any money or benefits. He just wanted to be in a hi-speed unit.

My dad was an Army recruiter for over 24 years. I remember him being gone for weeks and weeks at a time, working 17 to 20 hour days, etc. OOR is the toughest MOS in the Army. Recruiting is a career destroyer if you don't do your job right. I have a lot of sympathy for you guys right now. :(