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Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/Reinlistment from Reserves to Active Duty Age Limit

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Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 8/16/2010


Question
My 34-year old son has served 5 years active duty with two deployments.  He is now in the reserves serving once a mth/two weeks a year.  He wants to re-enlist full time active duty but can't find the answer to what the age limit is (the oldest age he can be and still re-enlist). He talked to his First Sargean and a recruiter who said both said they "think" it is at any age into the late 40s.  I'm guessing there is an earlier age limit in the mid-30s.  Do you know what the correct answer is or whom he could contact to find the answer?  Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer
Linda,
Sorry I couldn't answer sooner, I was off on a no-notice mission.

Finding the answer is easy, just ask me...I know everything! ha ha

Since you didn't say what Service, I'm going to guess and say he's in the Army, mainly because the 1st Sgt guessed "in the forties," which is close, and also because the Navy doesn't have 1st Sgts.  (Shame on the 1st Sgt. for not knowing, that's his job to know those things.)

The Army age limit is 42.  He's already too old for all the other Services, even with credit for 5 years service.  Just so he knows, the age limits are extended one-for-one for those with Honorable prior Service.  In other words, the age limit for the Marines is 28.  So 28 plus 5 years of Honorable service equals 33.  (He's still over that limit, but I was just showing you an example.

Since the recruiter didn't seem to know either, he may wish to talk to a recruiter online at http://www.goarmy.com/talk-with-us/chat.html

Colonel Howell

Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard

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MARK A. HOWELL

Expertise

All military questions, any Service. 30 years experience & two Ph.D.'s. 4 times Base Commander. Worked with Army, Navy, USMC, USCG and several foreign military units. Veteran of Kosovo, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and 10 civil wars in Africa.

Experience

Air Force Colonel with 30 years experience. Air Force Base Commander 4 times. Highly decorated.

Organizations
Org of Am Historians, Wild West History Assoc., Disabled American Veterans - Life Member, Am Motorcyclist Assoc. - Life Member, North Am Hunt Club - Life Member, NWTF - Life Member

Publications
Numerous book reviews published in the Journal of American History. Two books submitted for publication.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in military history, Columbus University (Summa Cum Laude) Ph.D. in history, Northfield University, London, England (Summa Cum Laude) Master of Arts degree in history, Marshall University, WV Bachelors degree, double-major in history and mathematics, Salem College, WV Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL

Awards and Honors
Legion of Merit Defense MSM MSM x 5 Joint Commendation Mdl AF Commendation Medal Army Commendation Mdl Joint Achievement Mdl AF Achievement Medal Outstanding Volunteer Mdl

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