How old are you supposed to be if you want to enlist in the armed forces?
369908
Age\n\nOne would think that age would be a simple category. One is either old enough, or too old, right? Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. By federal law (10 U.S.C., 510), the minimum age for enlistment in the United States Military is 17 (with parental consent) and the maximum age is 35. This is to ensure than anyone who enlists on active duty can be eligible for retirement (20 years of service) at the mandatory age of 55 (60 in some cases). However, DOD policy allows the individual services to specify the maximum age of enlistment based upon their own unique requirements. The individual services have set the following maximum ages for non-prior service enlistment:\n\n      Active Army - 34\n      Army Reserves - 39\n      Active Air Force - 27\n      Air Force Reserve - 34\n      Active Navy - 34\n      Naval Reserves - 39\n      Active Marines - 28\n      Marine Corps Reserve - 29\n      Active and Reserve Coast Guard - 27\n\nHowever, prior service enlistees can receive an "age waiver." In most cases, the amount of age that can be waived depends upon the amount of time the individual previously spent in the military. For example, let's say that an individual has four years of credible military service in the Marine Corps and wants to join the Air Force. The Air Force could waive the individual's maximum enlistment age to age 31 (Maximum age of 27 for the Air Force, plus four years credible service in the Marines). For the Marine Corps, the maximum age of enlistment for prior service is 32, after computing the prior-service age adjustment.\n\nFor the Army National Guard, the maximum age for non-prior service enlistment is age 39. For the Air National Guard, it's 34. For prior service, the maximum age is 59, as long as the member is able to complete 20 years of creditable service for retirement by age 60.
128781
All of the following can disqualify a candidate from \nenlisting:\n\nAge:\n    Each military branch specifies maximum age limits.\n\nCitizenship:    \n    Must be a citizen or properly documented alien\n    with established US residence.\n\nDependents:     \n    DOD may prohibit enlistment of applicants with\n    more than two dependents under age of 18.\n\nFinancial:      \n    Recruits must show that they can meet their\n    current financial obligations if they are \n    allowed to enlist.\n\nSingle Parents: \n    Single parents not allowed, except for Army\n    National Guard\n\nMilitary-Married-to-Military with Dependent(s): \n    Typically disallowed.\n\nEducation:      \n    Usually must be at least a high school graduate\n    or equivalent.\n\nDrug/Alcohol Dependence: \n    Cause for rejection.\n\nCriminal history: \n    Cause for rejection.\n\nHomosexual Conduct: \n    Rejected if you tell.\n\nMental Aptitude:  \n    Must score sufficiently on ASFAB test.\n\nHeight/Weight:    \n    All branches have specified limits.\n\nMedical Screening:\n    Many medical conditions can disqualify a\n    candidate (heart, hearing, eye sight, dental, etc).
421680
I signed up when I was 17, but I needed parental consent, which got tricky.  I spent 1 year in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP), graduated high school, and went to boot camp about two weeks later.  Keep in mind that a typical enlistment is 8 years, 4 years active, 4 inactive reserve.  Your time in the DEP will count toward the 8 years.  Good luck and Semper Fi.
890307
The only thing you could do is join DEP, delayed entry program.  They do activities and programs to help you prepare for boot camp and military life.  Once you turn 17, your parents can give parental consent for you to join.  And you will also need your GED
927222
nope,too old i can't be drafted.and the soldiers that fall today are falling for different reason than the ones who fell around me in the two i fought in.i am not calling them any less but,i am saying they are fighting for a bogus reason.
631493
All males in the United States (who are citizens) must register for selective service at the age of 18. There is no requirement for females. You can register at your local Post Office. Joining isn't a bad idea either, I am in the Air Force and would reccommend it to just about anyone!
768721
The draft age has been extended to 35 so it is now 18-35.  Keep in mind there are a number of things that effect when you would be called such as number of dependents and so forth.
874279
How old do you have to be?
360034
By federal law (10 U.S.C., 510), the minimum age for enlistment in the United States Military is 17 (with parental consent) and the maximum age is 35. This is to ensure than anyone who enlists on active duty can be eligible for retirement (20 years of service) at the mandatory age of 55 (60 in some cases). However, DOD policy allows the individual services to specify the maximum age of enlistment based upon their own unique requirements. The individual services have set the following maximum ages for non-prior service enlistment: \n\n\nActive Army - 34 \nArmy Reserves - 39 \nActive Air Force - 27 \nAir Force Reserve - 34 \nActive Navy - 34 \nNaval Reserves - 39 \nActive Marines - 28 \nMarine Corps Reserve - 29 \nActive and Reserve Coast Guard - 27\n\nHowever, prior service enlistees can receive an "age waiver." In most cases, the amount of age that can be waived depends upon the amount of time the individual previously spent in the military. For example, let's say that an individual has four years of credible military service in the Marine Corps and wants to join the Air Force. The Air Force could waive the individual's maximum enlistment age to age 31 (Maximum age of 27 for the Air Force, plus four years credible service in the Marines). For the Marine Corps, the maximum age of enlistment for prior service is 32, after computing the prior-service age adjustment.
848871
As of right now, I believe the age is 26 to become an officer.  But like almost everything else in the military, you could probably get a waiver.  Officer school is very long and hard and it's even harder than most boot camps.  If you come out of it, you deserve the rank.  But most of the officers I ever came across thought they were better than the enlisted, which the enlisted don't like.  If you are really interested, go talk to a recruiter.  If you do, see if you can talk to an active duty officer.  The recruiter will be helpful up to a certain point, but an actual officer will be able to answer more honestly since he/she has been there, done that.  Good luck
1025539
Thats totally not true, I know me and ten of my friends can't wait until we're old enough to join, we've all been talking to recruiters for months now, but we're only sixteen, so a few more years and all of us are gonna join either the Marines or the Army.
776303
Fit for Military Service:\n\nmales age 17-49: 4,810,831\nfemales age 17-49: 4,853,270 (2005 est.)
350162
Presently the United States does not have a draft. All individuals over the age of 18 are required and suppose to register. I am not sure that even that is being enforced.\n\nPrsently you are not required to enlist unless you want since the military is now an all volunteer force.\n\nWhen we did have a draft, based on your age and draft status you were issued a draft number. There were several ways to avoid the draft of which the primary one was to attend college, you had to be enrolled, your enrollment status was checked and  verified.  The other most popular was was a medical deferrement, where it ws determined that you were not medically able to perform the duties of a military person. Some medical deferrements were temporary. For the ones that had permanent medical problem you were classified 4F and undraftable.\n\nIf you did not want to be drafted you were required to attend a college for education, but your status changed if you were found not attending college as you stated, some that did not attend college but lied and said they were were, at times, placed at the head of the line and given a lower draft number ensuring that they would be drafted.\n\nSome that did not want to attend college or be drafted left the country. Most of them that left the country went to Canada. That was the chioce they made, not to be available for the draft nor attend college to eliminate being drafted. They were called draft dodgers and was subject to arrest upon returning to the United States no matter their age.\n\nIn my opinion they had a perfect out by attending college for 4 years after which they would have had a diploma. At the age you would have been by the time you got your degree around 21-22 and possibly married which you could get another deferrment for being married and having to take care of your family. Even if you were not married and you were still drafted after finishing college, with your degree you could go into the service as an officer. I fail to see the reason for being a draft dodger, except you did not want to be responsible. \n\nYou could have attended college and bettered yourself instead of leaving the country.\n\nI hope this has been of some help to you, good luck
1070834
18 by yourself. 17 with parents permission. But you must have a diploma or GED before you go to Boot Camp.
956761
One would think that age would be a simple category.  One is old enough, or too old, right?  Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way.  By federal law (10 U.S.C., 510), the minimum age for enlistment in the United States Military is 17 (with parental consent) and the maximum age is 35. This is to ensure than anyone who enlists on active duty can be eligible for retirement (20 years of service) at the mandatory age of 55 (60 in some cases). However, DOD policy allows the individual services to specify the maximum age of enlistment based upon their own unique requirements. The individual services have set the following maximum ages for non-prior service enlistment: \n\n\nActive Army - 42 \nArmy Reserves - 42 \nActive Air Force - 27 \nAir Force Reserve - 34 \nActive Navy - 34 \nNaval Reserves - 39 \nActive Marines - 28 \nMarine Corps Reserve - 29 \nActive and Reserve Coast Guard - 27\n\nHowever, prior service enlistees can receive an "age waiver." In most cases, the amount of age that can be waived depends upon the amount of time the individual previously spent in the military. For example, let's say that an individual has four years of credible military service in the Marine Corps and wants to join the Air Force. The Air Force could waive the individual's maximum enlistment age to age 31 (Maximum age of 27 for the Air Force, plus four years credible service in the Marines). For the Marine Corps, the maximum age of enlistment for prior service is 32, after computing the prior-service age adjustment.\n\n\nGod Bless You and The Southern People
293733
First of I find it very insulting as a former soldier for someone to say the military is just a bunch of troubled people and criminals. I personally served alongside some of the best this land had to offer. Keep in mind it's a volunteer military and they have stood up to defend YOUR rights. They're reason for doing so is they're own and moot.\n\nTo answer the question, Young people do alot of growing up between the ages of 18 and 24 (standard 6 X 2 enlistment). Sometime they're views and oppinions change. As a result some don't want to fullfill the long commitment.
419599
Dio got it for the USA.  \n\nNorth Korea has a draft in their "Army First" program. Actually the program should be called "army only" since only the NK Army gets anything, well besides the NK government elite, while the people of NK go hungry.\n\nAustria (CIA Factbook):"18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory military service obligation will be reduced from eight months to six (2005) "\n\nGermany: (Same Source):"18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004) "\n\nSwitzerland has a Citizen Army and everyone is expected tgo defend Switzerland from invaders.  From the CIA World FactBook: "the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis but are not drafted (2005)"\n\nUS Military Personel are all volunteers.\n\nI could go on, but the factbook does it much better.