Expert: Rod Powers - 2/24/2006

Question
Hello Mr. Powers,

 I have been wanting to join the Air Force for some time. I am 17 and a GED holder. I took the ASVAB at MEPS and scored a 77 AFQT. I droped out of school after 10th grade. MEPS refuses to process me because they believe I must be either 18 or a high school senior to take the medical and swear in. My recruiter feels like it should just be the parents signature since I'm under 18 and I'm good to go. Do you know anything about this type of problem? Also, would I have this same problem trying to join the Air National Guard? Thank you very much for your time --Seth

Answer
Hi Seth,

Your recruiter should definately know better than this. This is covered by the Air Force Recruiting Regulation (AETCI 36-2002), table 1-1, Note #14 -- page 31), which states that 17 year olds who are high school diploma-holders or seniors may enlist with parental permission.  The regulation specifically states this is only for seniors and high school diploma-holders.

"14. If the applicant is a traditional HSG with a high school diploma or an enrolled high school senior,
the minimum age for enlistment is 17. Both parents must give their consent for a 17-year old enlistees
unless the parents are divorced or legally separated or one parent is deceased. In those situations, the
divorce decree, separation agreement, or death certificate must be included in the application or handcarried
by the applicant to the MEPS."

(You can read the regulation online at: http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/afreg/blaetc36-2002.htm).

Another major problem is going to be your GED.

A GED-Holder is considered Educational Category II by the Air Force.  The problem is, the Air Force accepts *VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY* few Category II enlistees each year.  Less than one percent of all enlistments are Category II.  In my experience, the chances of enlistment in the Air Force for a GED-holder are pretty-much non-existent, unless the applicant is EXTREMELY well-qualified, otherwise (The regulation says minimum ASVAB score of 65, but I've never seen a GED-holder accepted for enlistment unless they had an ASVAB score of 90 or above).

The only way a GED-holder can increase their educational category to Category I is to obtain at least 15 college credits.  Those with 15 or more college credits are considered on the same educational level as high school diploma-holders (Category I).

Enlistment qualifications for the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard are the same as for active duty.

The Army is currently running a test-program to treat GED-holders the same as high school diploma-holders.  After several years of study, if it turns out that GED-holders have the same discharge-rate as high school diploma-holders, then the other services may change their educational Tier categories, based on the results of the Army test program.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my military information website at:  http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com