I first joined the Army at 17, and served for 4 years as a Combat Medic.
After that I joined the Navy and was a Recon Corpsman for 5 years, did some really hardcore stuff, and believed I was invincible for all of my 20's.  I am a Cold War Era vet, Gulf War Era vet, and now GWOT Era vet. Been around the world seen and did some crazy shit.

Got out for several years, but 9/11 pissed me off and I reenlisted.

Now back in an Army uniform and after 3 years I feel old, and I know that I am not in my prime as a warrior anymore, junior troops are awed by the Recon qualifications but I know that I am not that person anymore.  

Now I am a married father of 3, who serves as a Guardsman to still contribute leading troops that could be my sons.

Just feeling old............

I hear you! Approaching 41 myself, just played a couple of hours of full court basketball and my knees are not happy!! As one old ground pounder to another, thanks for all you done.

Quoted: I hear you! Approaching 41 myself, just played a couple of hours of full court basketball and my knees are not happy!! As one old ground pounder to another, thanks for all you done.

Ditto.  My body won't let me do the high speed stuff anymore.  Man, I miss those days, though.

you are not old.  Take up snowboarding or mountain biking.  Those will make you feel young again.

Brother .your not old... your seasoned, there's a difference... I did my first EIB Ruck March at the 19 year Marker (Tanker turned Infantry) and passed  ALOT of 20 year olds along the way (Didn't get my EIB thought...)

Age, experience and wisdom is what makes a Soldier lethal.... Any young pup can put holes in a bulls-eye on the range and run thru the obstacle course....

Now do what I do... Go home  and F$#k you Prom queen wife...... (didn't every one marry the prom queen....)

It'll make you feel 21 again.........

That's one way to look at it

I am taking my platoon to the field soon, plan to do some E&E training, and patrolling skills practicals, and general recon skills, what we used to call "greenside ops".  I think that this is one area where seasoned troop will be able to show the newbies how it's done.

I'll be 43 this year. And I sound like Rice Krispies in the morning. SNAP, CRACKLE, and POP.

I joined at age 17 back in 1991; I was late for Desert Storm, but went to Iraq instead. I joined back when the MREs where packaged in the brown wrapper and had the pleasant tasting Cherry Nut Cake in them and the Beef & Rice in BBQ Sauce.

Mmmmm! Tasty

I carried an M16A1 during basic and didn't see an A2 until my first duty station at Ft Stewart, GA with the 24th ID in 1993, we we're phasing out the M901 ITV and my division was testing the new (back then) M109A6 Paladin, the M992 FAASV and the M3A2 Bradley, mainly the one with the Linebacker system (quad tube stinger missile launcher replacing the TOW Launcher) and we still believed in the "Be All You Can Be" slogan. I think the 2.5 ton truck I drove as a supply clerk had more years in the service than me and the supply sergeant put together, but like that Deuce, I kept on serving.

Now I look at the kids coming into the service and I can definitely say.

DAMN! I FEEL OLD AS DIRT!

I started feeling old when, as an instructor, I had students who were born after I graduated basic training.  I also had a commander who was two years old the day I got on the bus to go to boot camp.

That's when I started thinking it was time to move on...

I went in FEB 89 at 17, at first just for the "college money" and now 17 years later still wearing BDU's, have seen the 1911 then M9 and now SIG 228 pistols, went through M16A1, A2, and now the M4.  

Changed MOS 3 times.

Been around the world, and definitely dislike 20 something y/o 2LT that thinks he is the sh*t, and knows everything about leading troops. My job now is to keep LT dipsh*t from getting people killed or injured until he gets wise and starts to listen to his Sergeants.

But its great when the "old guys" teach the youngsters a thing or two about creature comforts in the field, or show them up on the range...........

Will pick up SFC soon, then hopefully on to 1SG.

And the new troops, at 17 are looking at me the same as I did my Sergeant (Crazy old bastard, who does he think he is)

I joined at 26. Ive been in since 2000. Now I know thats not a long time but my career field has changed dramatically since then. Just say M-60 to a young E-2 and they look at you like you're from another planet. We even have young studs who have never carried or even qualified on the M-16. All they know is the M-4. I have troops who were born in 1987 that work for me. I was in the 9th grade for Christ's sake!

I got out of the Air Force in 1984, and just went into the Army at 42 years old.

Just completed Warrior Transition Course at Fort Knox in March 2006.

I have a beautiful wife and 3 kids, 18, 12 and 8 that support me and can handle me being gone to do what I need to do. That is important.

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"  Are you a good man?

Support our troops, become one!!!

Took a Med, at 49...........I hate it! worst move I ever made!
Did 19yrs guard..........MOS 11B   63B


Wish I could have made it once to the  "Sandbox"