Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 11/2/2007

Question
I'm 38 and 18 months away from getting my BS in Nursing and Psychology. I'm interested in joining the Medical Service Corps in the Navy or Air Force. What is the cut off age? I'm married to a SCPO in the Navy who's serve for 19 years.

Answer
Dear Patricia --

The current cut-off age for someone who has never served, is 40 years of age.  However, for commissioned officers (which Nurses are) the cut-off age is 35.  You can apply for a waiver of that cut-off age.  Since the services need nurses and psychologists, the waiver for age will likely be approved.

Another option would be to contact the medical service corps recruiters of all three services, and see if you can get into a final phase ROTC program for nursing.  The ROTC battalion does not need to be at your college, it can be any college with an ROTC program, that you feel is within commuting distance for you.  That program could pay for your final years of college education and provide a small stipend in return for a service obligation of some number of years served.  This service pays back the government for their investment in your training.  You could also accept a program that only provides you a stipend while training you in basic officer skills.  In return you would owe either reserve or active service time, but fewer years.

The benefit of joining ROTC now is that your date of initial entry into service would be immediate (ie: 38 years old) and you would lock in the current retirement benefits.  You also might avoid needing a waiver to be commissioned at 39 or 40 years of age, since you would already be on the service rolls.

Please write back, if you have any additional questions.