WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 22, 2005, Army News Service) –The
Army has announced a three-year test program to evaluate raising
the reserve-component non-prior-service maximum enlistment
age from less than 35 years of age to less than 40 years of
age.
The program will evaluate the feasibility of a permanent
change to the enlistment policy for the Army reserve components,
officials said. The test will begin immediately and continue
through Sept. 30, 2008.
“We looked at policies that we have in place that might be
restricting recruiters from achieving their mission,” said
Lt. Col. Roy Steed, chief, Recruiting and Policy Branch, under
the Army G1 (Personnel).
“Raising the maximum age for non-prior-service enlistment
expands the recruiting pool, provides motivated individuals
an opportunity to serve, and strengthens the readiness of
Reserve units.”
All applicants must meet the same eligibility standards,
to include passing the same physical standards and medical
examination.
Experience has shown that older recruits who can meet the
physical demands of military service generally make excellent
Soldiers based on maturity, motivation, loyalty, and patriotism,
Steed said.
“Historically, people in this age group have wanted to serve,
but may have been turned down only on the basis of their age,”
Steed said. “We don’t want to turn away these motivated people
who come to us and want to serve their country.”
The Army is constantly looking at ways to better reflect
the fast-changing American society.
“When you look across the population, we are living longer
and now a 40-year-old can be in better physical shape than
a 20-year-old,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Michelle S. Jones,
top NCO in the Army Reserve. We are more concerned about our
recruits’ level of fitness rather than just their age.”
Even if a motivated individual is not yet in peak physical
condition, the Army will help those individuals who may need
extra help prepare for the physical demands of basic training.
“The Army has a program called the Future Soldier Training
program to help individuals get ready for basic training.
We will encourage these individuals to participate in the
program. Recruiters work with them in several areas, and one
of those areas will be physical training,” Steed said.
The impact of the measure on meeting enlistment goals has
not been forecast, but it is expected to contribute to the
Army’s efforts to recruit top-quality individuals.
“We want to test the program first to validate the change
in the age restriction, and then compare attrition rates between
different age groups,” Steed said.
At this time, the program does not extend to active-duty
Army enlistments, which are set by law rather than policy,
Steed said.
The Army Reserve can benefit from the contributions of motivated
and mature individuals who make a conscious and informed decision
to serve their country, Jones said.
“We’re talking about a mature and motivated person who is
making a very informed decision about pursuing a different
direction in life,” Jones said. “They may have always wanted
to join the Army, and now have a chance to do it. They have
a lot of experience in life, and they bring that to the table.”
The concept of increasing the maximum enlistment age was
initially discussed this past fall, Steed said. The Army requested
and received an exception to Department of Defense policy
that set the maximum enlistment age in the active and reserve
components at less than 35 years of age.
