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Joining the U.S. Military later in life may not be the usual route that most service members take, but it still holds opportunities and provides benefits for those who qualify. Whether it's a sense of patriotism, a desire to change careers or the benefit of healthcare coverage for service members and their families, individuals in their thirties join the military for various reasons.
If you’re 38 years old, all branches of the military except the Air Force will be out of your reach if you want to sign up for active duty. But you’ll also find a place in the Navy and Coast Guard reserves if you want to join at age 38. As the largest and oldest branch of the military, founded in 1775, the Army conducts combat operations on the ground. The Navy. The largest navy in the world, the U.S. Navy recruits, trains, equips and organizes combat-ready troops to ensure safety for sea travel and trade. The Air Force.
As the newest branch of the military, created in 1920, the Air Force also has a space program that detects the launching of ballistic missiles and tracks satellites, among other tasks. The Marine Corps. The Marines are America’s expeditionary force that conducts missions on land, sea and air. The Coast Guard.
![Coast Coast](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125395368/884148803.jpg)
Henceforth the Coast Guard was to operate two reserve forces. The existing civilian reserve organization was renamed the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Coast Guard Reserve was to function on a military basis as a source of wartime manpower, like the reserves of the other armed services. Members of the new Coast Guard Reserve were to be. Retired-pay applications for reserve component members generally are sent out at age 58, except for Air National Guard and Coast Guard members, who receive applications six months before age 60. Retired reservists and Guard members must apply for retired pay, just as their active-duty counterparts do. It does not automatically start at age 60.
This smallest branch of the military is tasked with search-and-rescue missions, environmental protection and drug interdiction, among other roles.Military Age Requirements. The Army age limit, which is 35 for active duty, reserve and guard, and 23 for the service academy. The Navy age limit, which is 34 (active duty), 39 (reserve) and 23 (service academy).
The Air Force age limit, which is 39 (active duty and guard), 38 (reserve) and 23 (service academy). The Marine Corps age limit, which is 29 (active duty and reserve) and 23 (service academy.). The Coast Guard age limit, which is 27 (active duty), 39 (reserve) and 22 (service academy).Military Educational Requirements. About the AuthorVictoria Lee Blackstone was formerly with Freddie Mac’s mortgage acquisition department, where she funded multi-million-dollar loan pools for primary lending institutions, worked on a mortgage fraud task force and wrote the convertible ARM section of the company’s policies and procedures manual. Currently, Blackstone is a professional writer with expertise in the fields of mortgage, finance, budgeting and tax.
She is the author of more than 2,000 published works for newspapers, magazines, online publications and individual clients.
One of the most frequently asked questions recruiters get asked is what are the maximum age limits to enlist in the military service. There is an age limit that disqualifies certain ages from joining the military. However, the age limit is higher that you may think. If you are over this age limit, you are not qualified for service. But, if you keep pushing and proving to the recruiters that your experience and physical fitness levels are acceptable, you could be eligible for an age waiver. The most frequently asked question is the following. Across the United States Armed Forces, the maximum age for enlistment for someone who has never served in the military before depends on the branch.
For the Army, the maximum age is 35. For the Navy, age waivers start at 34-years-old. For the Air Force, the maximum age allowed to join is 39-years-old.
The Marines have the lowest maximum age for regular military service at 28-years-old. Special Operations branches also have different maximum ages due to the physical challenges put upon the candidates compared to regular military service. Navy SEAL recruits must be between the ages of 17 to 28 years old. There are some waivers for men ages 29 and 30 that are available for very qualified candidates. These applicants must prove to the Navy and the Navy SEAL community that they are worth the investment. Typically uncommon skills and experience will help, but the standards for physical fitness are held standard no matter what the age of the applicant.
There is also another exception with prior enlisted servicemen who seek to enter the SEAL community as an Officer can request waivers to the age of 33.