The minimum age limit remains 18, or 17 with parental permission
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NEED TO KNOW
- The U.S. Army raised its maximum enlistment age to 42, aligning with other military branches, including the Air Force and Coast Guard
- The change applies to those who want to enlist in the Regular Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves
- Recruits with a single marijuana possession conviction can now enlist without a waiver under the revised policy
The U.S. Army announced that the age range for those seeking to enlist has expanded amid the ongoing war in Iran.
On March 20, the Army announced in a revised Army Regulation 601-210 that the maximum age to enlist is 42, effective April 20. Previously, the maximum age was 35 to enlist in the Regular Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves. The minimum age limit remains 18, or 17 with parental permission.
The revised regulation also permits recruits to enlist if they have a single marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia possession conviction without a waiver.
An Army spokesperson said the policy intends to align the service with Defense Department standards, according to Stars and Stripes.
Credit: Getty Stock Images
The Army's enlistment age now aligns with other military forces, including the Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard. Both the Air Force and Space Force increased their age limit in 2023, according to Air Force Times. The Navy changed the cap to 41 in 2022, while the Marine Corps remains at 28, according to the Navy Times. Each branch has the same minimum age limit.
This marks the second time in 20 years that the Army shifted the enlistment age to 42. In 2006, the military branch increased the age to 40 and then to 42, according to The New York Times. At the time, the U.S. was engaged in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. The age limit moved back to 35 in 2016, according to Stars and Stripes.
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PEOPLE reached out to the U.S. Army for comment.
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