I'm considering joining the military after high school, but I'm curious about the age restrictions. What's the max age to enlist, and do different branches have different age limits?
The age requirements to enlist in the U.S. military indeed vary across branches. In general, the minimum age to enlist with parental consent is 17 in all branches. Without parental consent, the minimum enlistment age is 18. The maximum age to enlist is different depending on the branch.
- For the Army and the Army Reserve, the maximum enlistment age is 35.
- The Air Force and the Air Force Reserve set the maximum age to enlist at 39.
- For the Navy, the maximum enlistment age is 34.
- In the Marine Corps, enlistment must take place before your 29th birthday.
- Lastly, for the Coast Guard, the maximum enlistment age is 27, but this can be extended to 31 for those with certain qualifying backgrounds.
Remember, these age limits pertain to the time of enlistment, not necessarily the age at which you enter basic training/boot camp. In most cases, a waiver can be granted to allow enlistment outside these age limits in special circumstances. You should verify all these details with a local recruiter to get the most current and accurate information!
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