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Average age across different military branches?

Um, is there any notable difference in the average age of servicemen and servicewomen across the different branches of the military? Like, is one branch typically younger or older? Not gonna lie, I'm kinda nervous about potentially being the youngest in a group if I end up enlisting straight outta high school.

a year ago

Most military branches, whether that is the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corp, or Coast Guard, do tend to have a younger demographic due to the physically demanding nature of their duties. But don't worry, enlisting right out of high school is quite common and likely to align you with a peer group of a similar age.

To give you some specifics, the Department of Defense releases a demographic report every year which includes the average ages for each branch. As per the most recent one, the average ages across the branches are:

- Army: 28 years old

- Navy: 28 years old

- Air Force: 28 years old

- Marine Corps: 25 years old

- Coast Guard: 29 years old

- Space Force: As it's relatively new, a specific average age hasn't been established yet, but it's likely to align more with the Air Force due to its parallels in mission and personnel.

While these are averages, the age diversity increases considerably in the enlisted ranks compared to the officer ranks. Officers tend to be older due to their advanced education requirements, while enlisted service members can join right after high school, like you're considering.

So while you may be one of the younger ones, keep in mind that there will be a considerable number of people in the same age group as you. Plus, remember that the military is all about teamwork and camaraderie, so don't worry too much about your age!

a year ago

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