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Thursday, June 18, 2009

Older recruits challenge Army and vice-versa


The New York Times is running a feature today on the growing rate of over-35 enlisted in the U.S. Army. In part due to rising unemployment amid the recession, officials report that the older recruits are presenting new challenges especially where basic training is concerned; however, they also tend to bring more technical skills and maturity, are easier to instruct and are often more committed than teenage soldiers.
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“I’ve just tried to keep my head down, keep my mouth shut and not wring necks,” said one recruit, 38, who recently joined the military for a three-year stint after losing his job during the housing market crash.
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Since the start of 2009, the Army has recruited about 3,800 soldiers over age 35, a still relatively small number compared to the 80,000 the Army recruits annually. At present, the Army is the only service that accepts recruits over age 35 (the maximum age is 35 in the Navy, 28 in the Marine Corps and 27 in the Air Force.)


From IAVA Daily Brief for 06.18.09

(IAVA is the acronym for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America)
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