ok..who's gonna enlist now?

[Bammx2]

The recuitment age has been raised to 39 officially for the reserves and the national guard as an "experiment" for future possible changes to the regular army.
I like the way they say the physical requirements aren't going to change for the older enlistees.
Way back when...they changed with your age as you served!
Why should it be any different now?

BUT, my actual question is.....


Just exactly who is going to enlist now?

Any thoughts?

 

[arnisador]

Well, I think they're right to try this. They may use the older folks to fill positions stateside while sending the more able-bodied abroad.

 

[Flatlander]

I think its an excellent opportunity for people who otherwise may have been passed over to still be able to serve. The fact is for many, this is the best work a person can find. I, however, will not be enlisting.

 

[Cryozombie]

Actually Myself and a Friend considered Joining the coast guard, but he was too old by 1 year, now that the requirements have changed we are discussing it again.

 

[TigerWoman]

Well why would they need older folks for stateside with same as physical requirements as the younger. Alot of physical labor?

I heard that the Army was complaining that there aren't as many enlistee's probably due to Mother's telling their sons not to enlist. That would be me.
I have an army guy calling every day practically. At first I was nice, then I said he wasn't home, then I said please don't call--he's going to college, then I said this is our phone, not my son's and your call will not be accepted, then I said, who is your superivisor, as I will go down personally down to that office and give him a piece of my mind for bothering us every day. Now my son has gotten wise, and said yesterday, hey, Mom, you were right, I 'm not answering it when it says United States on the phone anymore. The call blocking doesn't work. So am I alone? I don't think so.
TW

 

[Bammx2]

well...I agree.It may the last chance at life for a few people,for lack of a better expression....
But he foreign legoin has been doing it for ages!
I may be doing it myself.
But damn....my closest recruiter is in germany!
I do believe the maturity level will do some good for the army.

 

[Tgace]

Ill be 37 this year, I'd be willing to wager that I could still be in the front quarter of a basic training class. A combination of trying to stay fit and the fact that a lot of kids these days are in **** poor shape.

 

[rmcrobertson]

Just FYI, the age increase comes from the facts that a) the Guard can't make anything like its quotas for the first time in a long time, probably because of the heavy use of Guard units in Iraq; b) the percentage of retiring military people going into the Guard is off by 75% this year.

Maybe they know something.

 

[raedyn]

I think its an excellent opportunity for people who otherwise may have been passed over to still be able to serve. The fact is for many, this is the best work a person can find. I, however, will not be enlisting.

You'd better not. Your wife would kick your ***.

 

[loki09789]

The recuitment age has been raised to 39 officially for the reserves and the national guard as an "experiment" for future possible changes to the regular army.
I like the way they say the physical requirements aren't going to change for the older enlistees.
Way back when...they changed with your age as you served!
Why should it be any different now?

BUT, my actual question is.....


Just exactly who is going to enlist now?

Any thoughts?

physical requirements won't change means that they are going to use the same chart of ht/wt. ratios, fitness standards...for initial recruitment that they have used all along. That's all. Hearing standards/eye sight, heart conditions....all will stand.

The only thing that really changes because of age/gender is ht/wt and PT standards which are already adjusted for age/gender once your in.


More than you will know to tell you the truth.

 

[Cryozombie]

Just FYI, the age increase comes from the facts that a) the Guard can't make anything like its quotas for the first time in a long time, probably because of the heavy use of Guard units in Iraq; b) the percentage of retiring military people going into the Guard is off by 75% this year.

Maybe they know something.

Please cite your sources for this information Robert.

 

[Ray]

The recuitment age has been raised to 39 officially for the reserves and the national guard as an "experiment" for future possible changes to the regular army.

Just exactly who is going to enlist now?

If they can get it raised to 47 before the end of the year, I might enlist. But I wonder how I would relate to the drill instructors {probably} being younger than me (since I don't relate well to doctors who look younger than my own kids).

 

[OULobo]

Please cite your sources for this information Robert.

I think he may be speaking of the National Guard, not the Coast Guard. There was an article on Yahoo just days ago reporting the military's lack of ability to meet their quota in the Army, Marines, Army Reserve and National Guard. The same article mentioned that the Navy and Air Force were easily meeting their quotas. I'd imagine the Coast Guard isn't having any trouble either.

 

[ginshun]

If things like the Lt. Pantano case keep happening, they be lucky to be able to recuit anyone at all.

 

[Cryozombie]

I think he may be speaking of the National Guard, not the Coast Guard. There was an article on Yahoo just days ago reporting the military's lack of ability to meet their quota in the Army, Marines, Army Reserve and National Guard. The same article mentioned that the Navy and Air Force were easily meeting their quotas. I'd imagine the Coast Guard isn't having any trouble either.

No... I want to know what his sources are for the information that guard enlistment is down because the Guard is being used in Iraq.

 

[Zoran]

No... I want to know what his sources are for the information that guard enlistment is down because the Guard is being used in Iraq.

I did a google search and came up with this link.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/mar2005/mili-m12.shtml

There are more articles on the subject if you search google
Click Here

 

[arnisador]

They're right to try something to stem the tide, but I doubt this will have a big impact.

I saw them discussing 8 year initial enlistments to help with this problem...I have some qualms about signing an 18 year old to such a long contract.

 

[Bammx2]

They're right to try something to stem the tide, but I doubt this will have a big impact.

I saw them discussing 8 year initial enlistments to help with this problem...I have some qualms about signing an 18 year old to such a long contract.

if thats a mandatory 8 year enlistment..they can hang that one right up.
No one is gonna enlsit on that.If they think 4 years is hard enough to get people to sign up for now,chaging it to 8 is NOT gonna get done.
They just need to take what they can get and be happy with that.
Like I said before...I am interested in possibley going back in...but I know I have no desire to it for 8 years,right now,anyway.

 

[Adept]

Just exactly who is going to enlist now?

Any thoughts?

Me. I've been trying to enlist for the last year. Injury and a poorly informed recruiter mean I likely won't get in until the end of this year.

 

[dearnis.com]

As someone who turns 36 this year....I wouldn't rule it out. A few more age-related irons in the fire right now, but hey, they just gave me 3 more years to think it over.
Reasoning- I chose not to go in after college; this was the era of the massive post gulf war Clinton draw downs, the economy sucked, and grad school was free. But not going in is one of the handful of major life choices I genuinely regret.