Army Ups Enlistment Age to 39

Can one teach old dogs new military tricks?

The maximum age for new recruits joining the Army Reserve and National Guard has been raised by five years to 39.

Officials for the U.S. Army, which is struggling to meet enlistment quotas following two years of war in Iraq, announced the policy on Friday. They said raising the age expands the recruiting pool and strengthens the readiness of Reserve units. Another benefit, the Army said in a statement, is the “maturity, motivation, loyalty and patriotism” older recruits will bring to the service.

Physical requirements will remain the same for all recruits regardless of age. Army spokeswoman Maj. Elizabeth Robbins told FOXNews.com that the older recruits will be required to pass the same “standard batter [sic] of physical, mental and cognitive tests” and would be expected to enter any environment expected of younger soldiers.

There are many “physically fit, health-conscious individuals in this [age] category who can serve their nation and they do right now,” Robbins said.

The Army National Guard missed its recruiting goal for the 2004 fiscal year and is “short across the board right now” in recruiting soldiers for active duty, Reserves and Guardsman, Robbins said. But she added that recruitment during winter months is generally lower than average, while the end of the school year and summer see a jump in enlistments.

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Robbins said that the Army expected the higher enlistment age to help it reach recruitment goals, but that no specific numerical goal for the older age group was set.

The test program applies only to new recruits and not those currently enlisted soldiers whose age requirements are determined by federal law. The age increase will run to September 2008. After the end of that period, the Army will “collect and analyze statistical data,” including how many enlistments were recruited and how many were retained.

My guess is that this change will yield very few new recruits. After all, half of this group was still eligible to enlist on Sept. 12, 2001. Also, we’re not talking about just one weekend a month and two weeks a year. This is for new recruits who would have to march away from their civilian lives for basic and advanced training, the same training expected of active-duty recruits. Add to this the possibility of activation and I doubt there’s a substantial portion in this age bracket ready to raise their right hand for state and country.

The people eligible again have already had opportunity to demonstrate love of country and desire to militarily serve. Will many fathers (and even grandfathers) now rally to the cause? I doubt enough even understand the threat of radical Islam and that the cause is their families.