Hello everyone! This may be less common, but I'm one of those 'older' high school students and wanted to know - are there any military branches that will accept older recruits compared to the rest? I want to evaluate all my options, and knowing I have a shot at a military career instead of just college would be quite comforting.
Yes, there are age limits for initially joining the military, and they vary across different branches. Here are the age limits as of today (keep in mind these might change in the future):
Army: 17-35 years old. However, if you are over 35 and under 42, you may still be able to join with a waiver if you are otherwise highly qualified.
Navy: 17-41 years old.
Air Force: 17-42 years old.
Marine Corps: 17-28 years old.
Coast Guard: 17-41 years old. However, age waivers can be granted on a case-by-case basis for applicants with certain skills and experience.
Space Force: Since the Space Force is a branch of the Air Force, it follows the same age limitations, which is 17-42 years old.
All the ages mentioned are as of the time of enlistment, not the time of inquiry or application, and all branches also have a minimum age of 17 with parental consent (except for the Navy which will accept 17-year-olds without parental consent under certain circumstances).
Keep in mind the age limits are about the time of enlistment, so depending on the timeline, you might still be eligible to enlist after you finish high school. Consider reaching out directly to the branch(es) you're interested in to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.
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