Age

[wannabeasoldr16]

I need extra time to shape up for the army. What is the maximum age to join?

[rud1]

i thought 42 y/o was the cut off for age - or is that just with a waiver?

[epalmer613]

I also had heard that the maximum age was 42. Can anyone clarify? And when we say "maximum age" are we talking with or without prior service? I do not have prior service, and just turned 41 (sorry, some of us learn the true value of things late in life).

[ranger39]

Iam 39 years old and am considering joining the national guard but running seems to be my weak point. what distance will I have to run to get into basic.

[Specialist Purdue]

Ranger you will have to run an 830 mile in receptions before you will be able to go to your platoon for basic training. It will be easy cause you will have two Drills running with you one will be in front of you and one behind you. As long as you stay in front of the one in the rear you will be fine.

[Specialist Purdue]

Now that you mention it the age has recently changed from 40 to 42.

[bartdanr]

I think they just increased the age to 42--see NGR 600-200 para 2-3a(1).

[lager]

I was just reading the military.com forum and they had a new post today that said, that the new age is under 42 (41 and 364 days) and you must ship to BCT before your 42nd birthday, Reference NGR 600-200 para 2-3a(1).

[Lwolfnky]

Hey, I just posted in another thread this same information, but I will here as well.

I am 31 and am looking to joing the Guard. My current boss is a full bird Col. in the Army Reserves. He is pushing me hard to go there instead of the Guard. What are the benefits here as opposed to the Reserves.

Also, how can I convince my wife that this is the choice for me??

No prior Military experience, but this has been on my mind for awhile and I finally have decided to do this for myself.

1 wife, 2 kids Any suggestions??

Thanks

[andrew.tischner]

Reserves are federal, that means the active army owns everyone in the reserves and can call upon them at any time, the reserves has less MOSs avaible then the guard, training sites are further away then your local guard armory and the college benifits are no where close to what the guard has to offer.

[Lwolfnky]

Thanks for the info.

[cgrout22]

If you figure out what to tell your wife, let me know. I am 30, non prior and want to join. I do not have kids but my wife is having fits about it.

[guardgirl17]

i just turned 17 this year and i wanna join and my parents are fine with it im just wondering if i should wait till after high school im entering my senior year.can anyone help?

[matthew.ritchie]

If you figure out what to tell your wife, let me know. I am 30, non prior and want to join. I do not have kids but my wife is having fits about it.

Ensure that she gets her issues addressed. Ask the Recruiter to introduce you to a Soldier and his wife who are in the unit that you will join. This does two things:

1. By forcing her to articulate her concerns, you can actually address them. You can't fight phantoms.
2. By meeting someone who has already done what you plan to do, and a wife who has already endured it, your plan to join becomes more real, and less mysterious and unknown. The unknown is the scariest of all fears.

There is no sure-fire way to convince her, but I'm confident that this plan will at least bring down her anxiety level.

[cgrout22]

Thank you, matthew.ritchie. I will follow your advice and post how it goes.

[Chrystal]

I have the opposite situation, my husband (and others) do not want me to go. I will ask my recruiter about contacting another couple in the same situation, great idea! I have two children and will miss them but what family needs to understand is that in the long run this is best for all involved. I understand the mentality of being without the person you love for an amount of time, but I do not agree with it. The benefits, experience, and skills that are received are priceless. My brother served in Iraq for a year with the
82nd, and at the time it seemed like it would never end. When he got back though, you realize how quickly the time goes by. He also reinlisted the same year he got back. I am aware of the risks involved, but even if something were to happen to me, I know that what I stood for will be apparent by my actions and not just my words. Thanks for letting me express my opinions.