Has anyone joined the military later in life? (30s).

9 comments

1. Your graduate degree will be held against you unless it’s related to the position. The military benefits from young, less educated kids who can be brainwashed to not question orders. Or who go through military training and graduate as junior officers.

   Apart from physical limitations

2. Do you have skills that the military is looking for?

3. I served with quite a few people that joined much later in life. The biggest hurdles for them was having peers almost half their age as well as not always being in the best shape compared to others in their units. Depending on branch, mos, etc you could also come across leaders that don’t like subordinates that think for themselves. I encountered this as well later in my time as I got older and had more thoughts and opinions about things. Just learning to identify these types and how to steer clear of them is very helpful (with any luck, they will not be in your chain of command anywhere, making it much easier to deal with).

   edit: wanted to add in that the aforementioned leaders are not as common as some would have you believe. Furthermore, a really good leader will appreciate your perspective and experience rather than hold it against you.

4. Joined the army at 30 and left a nice civilian career behind, so I can provide some insight if you want to shoot me a DM.

   I’ve been in a while now, but am not a recruiter.

   If you can meet the physical standards and have a clean criminal record, you’re golden.

   Things that will stop the process…
   – any chronic health issues
   – history of any emotional or op psychological disorder
   – history of drug use

   Things you might want to note, with the air force you do not pick your job, at least on the enlisted side.

   Edit: Not sure why some think the graduate degree would do you..I joined as low an enlisted rank as that’s let me, and had a degree coming in. Recruiter might think you’re a butt crazy, but we’re in a recruitment crunch across the board, they certainly won’t turn you away (and if they do, talk to a different recruiter).

5. The military? The MILITARY? As somebody who was once in the US military, but got the fuck out as soon as possible, let me tell you about how truly evil and depraved the military is. During Basic Training, we were forced to this chant before shooting at the rifle range : “If they’re brown, shoot them down!” At the rifle range, we fired at both adult sized targets and child sized targets. Half the targets were painted as being armed, and half the targets we were supposed to shoot at were painted as innocent civilians holding flowers. We were supposed to shoot at any target, regardless of whether it was armed or unarmed, whether it was an adult or a child. The only time in Basic Training we were allowed to watch tv was when the news showed reports of Muslim civilians being “accidentally killed” in air strikes. We were forced to scream “yes!” every time the news mentioned an innocent brown person being killed. As soon as I saw how truly evil and depraved the US military was, I GOT THE FUCK OUT. I went straight to the Drill Sergeants and told them I didn’t want to be part of their right wing terrorist organization. I told them that I REFUSED to kill innocent people of color, and take part in unjustified wars of aggression. The Drill Sergeants responded by tying me up and beating my with their machine guns for ten minutes straight. They told me that I wasn’t leaving and that if I ever tried to speak up against their hate and bigotry again, they would murder me. I took matters into my own hands, and jumped out the window at night while the Drill sergeants were asleep. This was the second floor, and fortunately I landed in some bushes. I ran the fuck away from the base I was at, and have not returned to this day. Every Time any American expresses admiration for the military, I fucking VOMIT. I was in for long enough to see that the US military is a white supremacist terrorist organization.

6. I served with a few older people, from basic to various tours. While in basic, we had a few guys who were approaching 30, never asked their age, or they weren’t aging well, anyways…I did notice that the old guys were usually the first ones picked for leadership roles(squad leader, then platoon leader later) in basic. Some did well, some did not. And as soon as you get to your unit your age really doesn’t matter, what you did in basic doesn’t matter, other than the experience, they looked for leadership qualities(the good units did) and you will have every age in the unit. As far as the degree goes, I was enlisted with a degree (achieved later) and it helped me Immensely getting a promotion to NCO. That degree gave me the points to get promoted. The degree doesn’t matter for points as long as you have one. But a teaching degree I can see helping a lot. There are quite a few children within the ranks of the military and dealing with children is a skill that will help.
   Also a word of advice, in basic keep your head down, don’t volunteer, if you are given a leadership role, just half-ass it, don’t stress out about your squad, hell even purposefully fuck it up…You can be the next coming of Jesus in basic, have the president give you a hand job in the barracks, be the hottest shit since Audie Murphy and soon as you get to your unit none of that shit matters. Means absolute zero.

   Edit: if you do join start working on becoming a Chief Warrant Officer, which you need a degree for(usually)
   Best of both worlds enlisted and officer

7. I was a Army grunt ( with a 98 ASVAB score) and even there we had some older guys. A few ware over 35. It was during wartime so they the oldest got in with a waver. If you have a degree try for OCS at least. If you can’t then ok, but at least try. That being said…

   The military likes young guys because they are easier to train. Call it brainwashing, call it being dumb, call it not having life experience. There’s less ego and and it’s easier to fill an empty cup.

   As long as you realize basic is just a dumb and silly indoctrination process it can actually be fun. Enjoy the stupid shit Drills say because it’s funny as fuck. Take it seriously on the outside but enjoy the funny’s and weirdness of it all. It will pass. Just take one day at a time.

   Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you have the answers. That was an ego check for the older dudes. You might have to take orders and advice from 17 and 18 year olds. If you can let go of your ego, you’ll be fine.

   Recruiters lie. If it’s not in your contract when you sign at MEPS, you will not get it. There is no reviewing or adding to the contract after, no matter what the recruiter says. Once you sign, they don’t give a shit about you. You won’t get anything until you’re up for re-enlistment and they want to keep you.

   Better be in physical shape. Look up the physical standards and exceed them. You’re older, and you’ll get fucked with for it. Being physically fit will take you far, as you’ll be an asset, instead of the one holding your squad or battle buddy back.

   Learn some bullshit early. Ranks, chain of command, bullshit creeds, etc. If you know it when you get there, you can focus on learning something else, or help the others.

   Don’t be a gung ho know it all Rambo. Keep your head down and avoid being noticed most of the time. But when responsibility comes your way, don’t shy from it.

   While this is from an Army grunt, the basics apply to all.

   Edit: Also for god’s sake don’t get any fuckn’ tattoos after basic. You will look like an idiot with them when you get to your unit. Your training battalion or company isn’t anything in the real world. You’ll be shit on for the first year or so in your unit.

   Be ready to walk around the building over and over picking up cigarette buds as you do police call even if you don’t smoke. You’ll be doing a lot of dumb shit until you get someone lower ranking who will take your place. Once you become an E-4 life gets easier.

8. There are generally waivers for age restrictions, you would have to ask.

   I’m currently 34, and my body hurts, the whole thing. The Marines make my head hurt, so that’s the only thing not in some sort of chronic pain. I’m also over seventeen years in.

   Your age is only a negative if you don’t act like it. Trying to hang with your mewly 21 year old roommates is going to be a net negative. As long as you can assimilate into the life (including the seemingly stupid rules), you will be fine. This is the biggest problem I have seen (“I’m an adult and thats stupid”).

   The worst thing is going to be taking direction/orders from a 22 year old.

9. While joining was a good thing for me when I was young, the government has changed dramatically since then. One of the reasons I got out was because I was being deployed for reasons that had nothing to do with our national defense. Our government’s interventionist ways have only gotten worse over the last 40 years. They no longer speak of national defense (in the Constitution), but national interests (not in the Constitution). I wouldn’t recommend anybody to join anymore.