I tried to go back into the reserves in 2000, when I was 35. I was going to do the weekend warrior thing for a few extra bucks and because I missed the military.  Went to the MEPS, took the ASVAB again. The SFC who oversaw the test, said I had one of the highest scores he had seen. Got to the physical and I was disqualified at the MEPS because I had shoulder surgery in 1997.  I could have appealed it, and probably gotten back in, but it was more hassle at the time than it was worth.  The Army was offering me E-3 to go back into my old MOS of MP.  The Coast Guard was offering me E-5 to join a Port Security Unit (PSU), which was more appealing.  Funny thing was I was (and still am) in better over all shape than when I was on active duty. I'm just not as fast when I run now, but I can go farther.

How about 52?  I'm in better shape than my 26 y.o. son who's an 88Mike in Iraq.  He got sent even though he was flagged for PT.  If they need people that bad, they should look at both ends of the age spectrum.  There's a lot of other guys my age that are fit and willing.  None of this "if I was in better shape" shit.  It's our duty as American citizens to be in shape and proficient with weapons for Homeland Defense at the very least.

I remember the 'Nam days of "alternative service", i.e., a judge telling a teenage misdemeanor defendant he had a choice: jail or military.  That could work again.

Quoted: I guess I should be impressed, but I am not.  You talk all that bullshit, but there ARE a lot vets on this board have "walked the walk" a long time ago, but you don't seem to respect that.

frankly I don't really  give a shit if you are impressed or not...........I didn't join and serve my country to impress you, or anyone else for that matter. I  did it as a way to pay back this country that let my parents come here after WWII, and the freedoms that we all enjoy..........originally it was only going to be 3 years, but then I got to loving what I did,  I decided to make it a career.

and by the way, in case you didn't understand .........that post of mine was aimed at the wannabes, which does not include people who had prior service, or did their time in a "god" forsaken country..........so don't go off and read things that aren't even there

I wonder if they are interested in a 41yo. with a week knee, HVAC guy?

Quoted: I wonder if they are interested in a 41yo. with a week knee, HVAC guy?

there is only one way to find out..............apply and then take the physical.

for all you guys who are really interested in doing this.

SHUT UP about your medical problems.  Weak knees, they won't know if you don't tell them

Shoulder surgery, ditto.

Damn, if you can pass the physical, then do it.
They ain;t gonna medical you if you don't piss and moan about previous problems



txl

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I expect that this will free up a lot of choices for the "kill all Muslims" crowd here. Now their walk can match their talk. Nope. Turning 49 next month. Kill All Muslims!!! CW I'm 49, and have prior service.  Can I join? CanIcanIcanIcanIcanIcanIcanI? Bilster If you have more than 7 years service I think so.

What if you don't have prior service experience but had security clearances?

CW

[DUh] THEY ARE TRYING TO DRAFT YOUR FATHERS INTO THE MILITARY NOW! [/DUh]

Quoted: [DUh] THEY ARE TRYING TO DRAFT YOUR FATHERS INTO THE MILITARY NOW! [/DUh]

WTF are you talking about?

Quoted: Quoted: well i just turned 41 and a practical nurse i think about it if the wife would not kill me. but i would need to get in shape first There is a whole seperate recruiting system for medical folks. In fact, for anyone with ANY kind of 4 year degree they will Commission you as a 2LT in medical Admin. no OCS, just straight to OBC. Its not high-speed stuff, but it is needed and makes a definate impact.

Hell, when my wife was in pharmacy school, and did an internship at a local military base, they tried to get her to sign up.  Would have beena 2ndLT, though they did the shuck and jive on whether they'd waiver her (heart murmur)...she didn't sign up.

I am 42, I have 23 years TIS and accoding to the last physical I am physically 28 years old.  Unless they count my knees,,lol.  I do not think this would be fun for a grown up,,lol.

If you are prior service you can get back in the guard at almost any age. If you really want active duty, then transfer after you are in the guard.

If you are older than 42 join the naval reserves, they have some sort of program that you can join until you're like 100 or so. A 3 or so week book camp, no joke. The you do the Army's "Blue to Green" program which is also real short.

It's good to already be able to do a 210 or better APFT before you join (better yet a 270+), but believe it or not, Basic is Basic. You'll be surrounded by 19yo who have never done anything and can't do a single pullup. Three months later you'll be doing good.

I know two guys that in the last year  graduated the SF Q-course at 41 and 44. (one has 3 kids , don't know about the other one) Both had a 15+ year break in service.

I know a guy who is 50 that is putting in his packet for SF this year. four years prior service 20+ years ago, now successful with a kid under 5yo. Rejoined and is going to push to be allowed to go SF.

I know a guy that just had leukemia thats going back in, he's just not going to tell them. Screw'em if you want in, make it happen. BTW that guy makes $200,000+ a year has a young kid and told his wife if he gets activated they may have to sell the house and move to a smaller one.

Every one of these guys has hearing waivers, pins in joints, surgeries, etc, etc.

I know all these guys, not heard of them. They all serve in my unit. The average guy in my unit is >40, with a family and kids, with a job that pays more than the military, coming back after a 10+ year break in service. All these guys have done a one year deployment since the war started and half have volunteered for a second tour which they just finished. To my knowledge not a single guy has lost his wife over this. They all got over it and got with the program.

I was lucky, I came back at 39 but have all my quals in order so I just had to show up again. I have surgeries and shit that would need waivers if I needed schools, but I've already done them so no big deal. No wife, no kids. After Sept11 I took one year to get my finances in order so it wouldn't kill me. Rearranged my business, got rid of my house, sold everything extra.


That why some of us get a little short when everyone wants to publicly tell us all the reasons they can't serve.





No excuses!




Either serve or don't. If you want to serve either for the first time or again, speak up, and some of us will tell you what we know.


BTW my buddys unit just rotated back and they had a guy who was >55 and a vietnam vet. Before they went over he had to tell his VA PTSD counsellor he wasn't going to make his sessions for a while!!!!! Do you call that a setback!!! They made him the motorpool sgt, he did great and had a blast.

Quoted: If you are prior service you can get back in the guard at almost any age. If you really want active duty, then transfer after you are in the guard. If you are older than 42 join the naval reserves, they have some sort of program that you can join until you're like 100 or so. A 3 or so week book camp, no joke. The you do the Army's "Blue to Green" program which is also real short. It's good to already be able to do a 210 or better APFT before you join (better yet a 270+), but believe it or not, Basic is Basic. You'll be surrounded by 19yo who have never done anything and can't do a single pullup. Three months later you'll be doing good. I know two guys that in the last year  graduated the SF Q-course at 41 and 44. (one has 3 kids , don't know about the other one) Both had a 15+ year break in service. I know a guy who is 50 that is putting in his packet for SF this year. four years prior service 20+ years ago, now successful with a kid under 5yo. Rejoined and is going to push to be allowed to go SF. I know a guy that just had leukemia thats going back in, he's just not going to tell them. Screw'em if you want in, make it happen. BTW that guy makes $200,000+ a year has a young kid and told his wife if he gets activated they may have to sell the house and move to a smaller one. Every one of these guys has hearing waivers, pins in joints, surgeries, etc, etc. I know all these guys, not heard of them. They all serve in my unit. The average guy in my unit is >40, with a family and kids, with a job that pays more than the military, coming back after a 10+ year break in service. All these guys have done a one year deployment since the war started and half have volunteered for a second tour which they just finished. To my knowledge not a single guy has lost his wife over this. They all got over it and got with the program. I was lucky, I came back at 39 but have all my quals in order so I just had to show up again. I have surgeries and shit that would need waivers if I needed schools, but I've already done them so no big deal. No wife, no kids. After Sept11 I took one year to get my finances in order so it wouldn't kill me. Rearranged my business, got rid of my house, sold everything extra. That why some of us get a little short when everyone wants to publicly tell us all the reasons they can't serve. No excuses! Either serve or don't. If you want to serve either for the first time or again, speak up, and some of us will tell you what we know. BTW my buddys unit just rotated back and they had a guy who was >55 and a vietnam vet. Before they went over he had to tell his VA PTSD counsellor he wasn't going to make his sessions for a while!!!!! Do you call that a setback!!! They made him the motorpool sgt, he did great and had a blast.

OK, so haow about 49, no prior service. Do the squids take that?

CW

Quoted: If you are prior service you can get back in the guard at almost any age. If you really want active duty, then transfer after you are in the guard. If you are older than 42 join the naval reserves, they have some sort of program that you can join until you're like 100 or so. A 3 or so week book camp, no joke. The you do the Army's "Blue to Green" program which is also real short. It's good to already be able to do a 210 or better APFT before you join (better yet a 270+), but believe it or not, Basic is Basic. You'll be surrounded by 19yo who have never done anything and can't do a single pullup. Three months later you'll be doing good. I know two guys that in the last year  graduated the SF Q-course at 41 and 44. (one has 3 kids , don't know about the other one) Both had a 15+ year break in service. I know a guy who is 50 that is putting in his packet for SF this year. four years prior service 20+ years ago, now successful with a kid under 5yo. Rejoined and is going to push to be allowed to go SF. I know a guy that just had leukemia thats going back in, he's just not going to tell them. Screw'em if you want in, make it happen. BTW that guy makes $200,000+ a year has a young kid and told his wife if he gets activated they may have to sell the house and move to a smaller one. Every one of these guys has hearing waivers, pins in joints, surgeries, etc, etc. I know all these guys, not heard of them. They all serve in my unit. The average guy in my unit is >40, with a family and kids, with a job that pays more than the military, coming back after a 10+ year break in service. All these guys have done a one year deployment since the war started and half have volunteered for a second tour which they just finished. To my knowledge not a single guy has lost his wife over this. They all got over it and got with the program. I was lucky, I came back at 39 but have all my quals in order so I just had to show up again. I have surgeries and shit that would need waivers if I needed schools, but I've already done them so no big deal. No wife, no kids. After Sept11 I took one year to get my finances in order so it wouldn't kill me. Rearranged my business, got rid of my house, sold everything extra. That why some of us get a little short when everyone wants to publicly tell us all the reasons they can't serve. No excuses! Either serve or don't. If you want to serve either for the first time or again, speak up, and some of us will tell you what we know. BTW my buddys unit just rotated back and they had a guy who was >55 and a vietnam vet. Before they went over he had to tell his VA PTSD counsellor he wasn't going to make his sessions for a while!!!!! Do you call that a setback!!! They made him the motorpool sgt, he did great and had a blast.

I've seen the 30ish and 40ish Soldiers go the SF route, so I know that is possible.  Of course, these "old" men are old PT studs, but thats a different story..

What I can't see is how a person aged 50, with four years prior service could be enlisted at all.  50 minus four years of service equals an adjusted age of 46, still way too old to sign.  

Quoted: Quoted: [DUh] THEY ARE TRYING TO DRAFT YOUR FATHERS INTO THE MILITARY NOW! [/DUh] WTF are you talking about?

You must have missed the "DUh" brackets.

You know they're thinking that this is a precursor to "Bush reinstating the draft" (which anyone with a couple functioning brain cells knows if BS because he can't do it)  which will in essence raise the draft age.


..it's called a joke.

This makes it tough for me. I'm 36 and I just got used to the idea that going back in(86-89 Army 11B 101st ABN) was no longer an option, now they are gonna up the age. Decisions, decisions......

Quoted: [ What I can't see is how a person aged 50, with four years prior service could be enlisted at all.  50 minus four years of service equals an adjusted age of 46, still way too old to sign.

To old to sign what? He just reenlisted last year. So I know it's possible.

Quoted: [OK, so haow about 49, no prior service. Do the squids take that? CW

No idea man, I'm army. I just know guys past the army reserve/guard age have snuck in through the navy. Call the navy reserves.

Quoted: [You must have missed the "DUh" brackets. You know they're thinking that this is a precursor to "Bush reinstating the draft" (which anyone with a couple functioning brain cells knows if BS because he can't do it)  which will in essence raise the draft age. ..it's called a joke.

Sorry, didn't sound like one to me. Soundedmore like a dumbshit (which I geusss is what you were going for), but then again I know enlistment ages being raised has no effect on selective service.

sean229 you IM'd me but are not accepting incoming IM's

Quoted: Quoted: I expect that this will free up a lot of choices for the "kill all Muslims" crowd here. Now their walk can match their talk. Been there, done that.......1969 to 1973, so you can stuff your condescending bullshit.

Well, isn't that nice.  I was active from 1983-2003.  

My original statement stands.

Quoted: Quoted: [ What I can't see is how a person aged 50, with four years prior service could be enlisted at all.  50 minus four years of service equals an adjusted age of 46, still way too old to sign.   To old to sign what? He just reenlisted last year. So I know it's possible.

Too old to sign a contract.  When they enlist prior service into the military, they subtract years of service from your age to come up with an "adjusted age".  If the adjusted age is less than the max enlistment age, your good to go, if not, you're too old and blocked from signing.

If the guy was 50 and had four years of prior service, that would make him "adjusted" 46 , still way too old, even under the  new standards.

Basically the rules were designed to block people from serving who had  no chance of completing 20 years to get a pension.

Maybe your 50 year old friend had some Guard/Reserve years you didn't mention in your post.

Quoted: I think once you start having trouble staying awake after 9:30pm the military isn't for you. I suppose I could free up some younger guy to lug a rifle by doing paperwork or something.

I have no problem staying up after 9:30 in the evening.

It's getting up at Oh...my gawd...dark thirty in the morning that I can't do any longer.....

That's all good, but what are their stipulations on prior service?  Been out 7 years now.  I tried to get back in like 5 years ago, and they all said no.  The Corps said no prior service Marines for some reason, and the Army said I had bad credit.  WTF??  Oh, but I do have a RE-4.  Still, honorably discharged, good conduct medal and everything.  I'd still consider going back.

Quoted: I wonder if they are interested in a 41yo. with a week knee, HVAC guy?

Hey, you could fix the AC in the Hummers!!