Pentagon seeks higher age limit for recruits

Doglips · 07-23-2005, 10:31 AM

Im 41 and can not just see someone my age going through boot camp.....Even if you were in super shape It would just be hard for me to play the mind games and be intimadated by DI's .....and Im not sure my DI would approve of me needing a cup of coffee and a smoke just to get out of bed....especialy at Zero Dark thirty

Pentagon seeks higher age limit for recruits

Reuters logo Friday, July 22, 2005 11:20 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Faced with major recruiting problems sparked by troop deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has asked Congress to raise the maximum age for U.S. military enlistees from 35 to 42 years old.

The request, sent to lawmakers this week, would apply to all active duty branches of the military services, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman, on Friday. But it is aimed chiefly at the active duty Army, which has fallen far short of recruiting goals this year, by adding millions of potential enlistees.

The Army has provided most of the 140,000 U.S. ground troops in Iraq and has also relied heavily on part-time soldiers from the National Guard and Reserve for year-long deployments there.
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Krenke said the active duty Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, which are meeting their recruiting goals, were unlikely to change their current policy of declining to accept recruits older than 35.

The new proposal would not change the limit of 39 years old for those with previous military service who seek to enlist in the Army Reserves and National Guard.

The Army National Guard, struggling more than any other part of the U.S. military to sign up new troops amid the Iraq war, missed its ninth straight monthly recruiting goal in June.

The regular Army met its recruiting goal this month, but is still 14 percent behind its year-to-date recruiting target and is in danger of missing an annual recruiting goal for the first time since 1999. The Army Reserve is 21 percent behind its year-to-date goal and also in danger of falling short for the year.

Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited.

Big Dog · 07-23-2005, 11:18 AM

Well, if they raised the limit to fifty, and waive the bootcamp for vets - I'm in!
We old soldiers could at least look after things at the stateside bases while the young lions go to war. We could be instructors at the tech schools, and man additional recruitment centers.
Hey, we aren't 'old', we are 'well-seasoned'!

7mmag6 · 07-23-2005, 12:41 PM

iM LIKE Big Dog. raise it to 55, promise me a good supply of stool softners, mylanta, promise no shooting before 10 am ( I like to sleep in). No MREs, only roughage, and steaks. A young guy to give me piggy back rides, and hey Im there

Doglips · 07-23-2005, 01:50 PM

Well at least this group will bring its own firearms and ammo

jerry · 07-23-2005, 02:09 PM

I'll be doing it 'till I'm about 43 or a little more. I'll tell ya one thing, can't run faster and jump higher like when we were 25 guys.

BD is right, plenty of support positions out there. Combat arms instructor would be cool.

I do like 7mmag's criteria though, especially piggy back rides :right:

Gunnie Ed · 07-23-2005, 03:15 PM

two words that can fix all their problems; Compulsory Service.

Thrawn · 07-23-2005, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnie Ed

two words that can fix all their problems; Compulsory Service.

Not in my lifetime, if you want communism go to china.

Gunnie Ed · 07-23-2005, 07:08 PM

oh? so it's wrong to have people required to serve for a couple years at 18?

i thing it would do the youth of this country well to go through basic, they're already requred by law to go to school, and they don't learn half as much there.

Doglips · 07-23-2005, 07:26 PM

what about the old go to the milatary or go to jail for kids who commit minor crimes?

Thrawn · 07-23-2005, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnie Ed

oh? so it's wrong to have people required to serve for a couple years at 18?

i thing it would do the youth of this country well to go through basic, they're already requred by law to go to school, and they don't learn half as much there.

Yep, it's wrong. Just because there is a law against somthing does'nt make it right. With your reasoning we might as well turn in all our guns just because there is restrictions on them.
That's exactly what this country needs! More laws and regulations! It'll justify all the money politicians mooch off us!

Thrawn · 07-23-2005, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doglips

what about the old go to the milatary or go to jail for kids who commit minor crimes?

That would'nt be bad. Still do it around here somtimes.

Snakebite · 07-23-2005, 08:37 PM

Compulsory service is the end of the land of the free.
Gunnie, being required to go to school to get an education is a far cry from military service. And you are wrong in saying they dont learn as much in school. Military school may be good for some but not for 99% of kids.
I guess maybe you want to shock the young kids into being grown adults in the 6 weeks of boot camp? Maybe seeing a dead body or shooting an enemy?
There are other ways of getting educated. Being required to learn is the worst of all options.

NorCalAshnjikov · 07-24-2005, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Dog

Well, if they raised the limit to fifty, and waive the bootcamp for vets - I'm in!
We old soldiers could at least look after things at the stateside bases while the young lions go to war. We could be instructors at the tech schools, and man additional recruitment centers.
Hey, we aren't 'old', we are 'well-seasoned'!

Oregano or just salt and pepper?

Big Dog · 07-24-2005, 12:46 PM

Well, up top it's getting to be more salt than pepper lately. Compulsory Service would be good - not necessarily 'military' service. Working in parks, schools, nursing homes, construction helpers - the possibilities are endless. And would give the young person some real work experience, as well as a view of the real world. This should be done before University, if possible. I'm betting we'd end up with fewer naive Liberals that way.

07-23-2005, 10:31 AM	#1
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	Pentagon seeks higher age limit for recruits Im 41 and can not just see someone my age going through boot camp.....Even if you were in super shape It would just be hard for me to play the mind games and be intimadated by DI's .....and Im not sure my DI would approve of me needing a cup of coffee and a smoke just to get out of bed....especialy at Zero Dark thirty Pentagon seeks higher age limit for recruits Reuters logo Friday, July 22, 2005 11:20 a.m. ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Faced with major recruiting problems sparked by troop deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has asked Congress to raise the maximum age for U.S. military enlistees from 35 to 42 years old. The request, sent to lawmakers this week, would apply to all active duty branches of the military services, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman, on Friday. But it is aimed chiefly at the active duty Army, which has fallen far short of recruiting goals this year, by adding millions of potential enlistees. The Army has provided most of the 140,000 U.S. ground troops in Iraq and has also relied heavily on part-time soldiers from the National Guard and Reserve for year-long deployments there. Adblock Krenke said the active duty Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, which are meeting their recruiting goals, were unlikely to change their current policy of declining to accept recruits older than 35. The new proposal would not change the limit of 39 years old for those with previous military service who seek to enlist in the Army Reserves and National Guard. The Army National Guard, struggling more than any other part of the U.S. military to sign up new troops amid the Iraq war, missed its ninth straight monthly recruiting goal in June. The regular Army met its recruiting goal this month, but is still 14 percent behind its year-to-date recruiting target and is in danger of missing an annual recruiting goal for the first time since 1999. The Army Reserve is 21 percent behind its year-to-date goal and also in danger of falling short for the year. Copyright © 2005 Reuters Limited.

07-23-2005, 11:18 AM	#2
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,214	Well, if they raised the limit to fifty, and waive the bootcamp for vets - I'm in! We old soldiers could at least look after things at the stateside bases while the young lions go to war. We could be instructors at the tech schools, and man additional recruitment centers. Hey, we aren't 'old', we are 'well-seasoned'! __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

07-23-2005, 02:09 PM	#5
jerry Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 10,882 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 1	I'll be doing it 'till I'm about 43 or a little more. I'll tell ya one thing, can't run faster and jump higher like when we were 25 guys. BD is right, plenty of support positions out there. Combat arms instructor would be cool. I do like 7mmag's criteria though, especially piggy back rides :right: __________________ I'm a down home back woods redneck

07-23-2005, 03:15 PM	#6
Gunnie Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: three clicks left of center. Posts: 808	two words that can fix all their problems; Compulsory Service. __________________ http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95.../warinmine.gif

07-23-2005, 07:08 PM	#8
Gunnie Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: three clicks left of center. Posts: 808	oh? so it's wrong to have people required to serve for a couple years at 18? i thing it would do the youth of this country well to go through basic, they're already requred by law to go to school, and they don't learn half as much there. __________________ http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95.../warinmine.gif

07-23-2005, 12:41 PM	#3
7mmag6 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 337 Images: 1	iM LIKE Big Dog. raise it to 55, promise me a good supply of stool softners, mylanta, promise no shooting before 10 am ( I like to sleep in). No MREs, only roughage, and steaks. A young guy to give me piggy back rides, and hey Im there

07-23-2005, 01:50 PM	#4
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	Well at least this group will bring its own firearms and ammo

07-23-2005, 07:26 PM	#9
Doglips Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cocoa Florida Posts: 9,089	what about the old go to the milatary or go to jail for kids who commit minor crimes?

07-23-2005, 08:37 PM	#12
Snakebite Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tucson, Mexico Posts: 1,839	Compulsory service is the end of the land of the free. Gunnie, being required to go to school to get an education is a far cry from military service. And you are wrong in saying they dont learn as much in school. Military school may be good for some but not for 99% of kids. I guess maybe you want to shock the young kids into being grown adults in the 6 weeks of boot camp? Maybe seeing a dead body or shooting an enemy? There are other ways of getting educated. Being required to learn is the worst of all options.

07-24-2005, 12:46 PM	#14
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,214	Well, up top it's getting to be more salt than pepper lately. Compulsory Service would be good - not necessarily 'military' service. Working in parks, schools, nursing homes, construction helpers - the possibilities are endless. And would give the young person some real work experience, as well as a view of the real world. This should be done before University, if possible. I'm betting we'd end up with fewer naive Liberals that way. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.