Question: What is the maximum age to enlist in the Military?

Read the answer after the jump.
Answer: The maximum age of non-prior service enlistment, under federal law used to be age 35. In 2006 the Army convinced Congress to change this to age 44.

Regardless of federal law, the military services are allowed to impose more strict standards — and they have. The maximum age for non-prior service enlistments for each of the services are:

> Active duty Army – 42
> Army Reserves – 42
> Army Natinal Guard – 42
> Active duty Air Force – 27
> Air Force Reserve – 34
> Air National guard – 34
> Active duty Navy – 34
> Navy Reserves – 39
> Active duty Marines – 28
> Marine Corps Reserves – 29
> Active duty Coast Guard – 27
> Coast Guard Reserves – 27

Age waivers are possible for those with prior military service.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: What test do I take to qualify for a linguist job?

Read the answer after the jump.

Answer: All of the military services use the same test to determine whether or not a person has an aptitude for learning a foreign language. The test is known as the Defense Language Aptitude Battery, or DLAB.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question:  What can I expect at the Defense Language Institute?

Read the answer after the jump.

Answer: Training is conducted at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. The length of the school varies according to the language being taught.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: I had a felony conviction as a juvenile. Am I still eligible to join?

Read the answer after the jump.
Answer: Criminal Offenses which may preclude enlisting (or a commission) in the military can be found in our article about Enlistment Qualifications.

There’s no such thing as a “sealed” or “expunged” record, as far as the military is concerned. The military requires (under federal law) that such records be reviled on enlistment and security clearance paperwork. Failure to do so is a felony.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: What is the maximum age to become an officer in the Military?

Read the answer after the jump.
Answer: By law, the maximum age for a commission is age 35. This is because a military officer must be able to have 20 years of service, to be retirement eligible by the maximum retirement age of 55.

There are some exceptions:

~ Military medical officers can be commissioned up to the age of 47 (they also don’t have to retire by age 55).

~ Those with prior service can sometimes receive a waiver (as long as they can retire with 20 years of military service by age 55).

~ Aviators (Pilots and Navigators) have different age requirements, that are specific to the service.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: Does the Coast Guard offer “Guaranteed Jobs?”

Read the answer after the jump.
Answer: Of all of the services, the Coast Guard offers the fewest guaranteed jobs.

One normally enlists in the Coast Guard, undesignated, then “strikes” for a job after a period of on-the-job training in “basic coastguardmanship” at their first duty station.

A few schools (and therefore jobs) are offered during basic training. While this system may seem (on the surface) disadvantageous, there is something to be said about having the chance to spend some time scoping out the situation “on the job,” before deciding what job you’re going to “strike” for.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: Can a non-U.S. Citizen join the United States Military?

Read the answer after the jump.
Answer: Yes. A non-citizen can enlist in the military. However, federal law prohibits non-citizens from becoming commission or warrant officers.

In order for a non-citizen to enlist in the military, he/she must first be a legal immigrant (with a green card), permanently residing in the United States. It’s important to note that the military cannot and will not assist in the immigration process. One must immigrate first, using normal immigration quotas and procedures, and — once they’ve established an address in the United States — they can find a recruiter’s office and apply for enlistment.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: What’s the ASVAB? How can I improve my score?

Read the answer after the jump.

Answer: The ASVAB is the “Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery.”

Anyone who enlists in the military must take this test. The overall percentile score, known as the “AFQT Score,” determines whether or not one can even enlist (see Minimum ASVAB Score Requirements).

In addition to the overall AFQT Score, individual composite scores determine enlisted job qualifications.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: Can someone get advanced enlisted rank for college credits or JROTC?

Read the answer after the jump.

Answer: Each of the services have different policies when it comes to advanced enlistment rank for college credits and other programs (such as Junior ROTC).

~ The Army offers advanced enlistment rank up to E-3 or E-4 for college, and up to E-2 for college/other programs.

~ The Air Force offers advanced enlistment rank up to E-3 for college and participation in other programs. The Air Force is the only service which offers accelerated promotion for six-year enlistees.

~ The Navy offers advanced enlistment rank up to E-3 for college and participation in other programs. The Navy also offers accelerated promotion up to E-4 for individuals who enlist in certain designated enlistment programs (Such as the Nuclear Field).

~ The Marine Corps offers advanced enlistment rank up to E-2 for college and participation in other programs.

With the exception of the Air Force six-year enlistee advance rank program, recruits who join with advanced rank are paid the rate of base pay for that advanced rank right from the first day of active duty. However, in most of the services, recruits do not get to actually wear the rank until they graduate from basic training (in basic, everyone is treated the same — ie, just lower than whale droppings).

As with other enlistment incentives, advanced enlistment rank must be included on your enlistment contract.

Visit the full resource article here.

Question: Does the Air Force offer “Guaranteed Jobs?”

Read the answer after the jump.

Answer: The Air Force has two enlistment options: Guaranteed Job, and Guaranteed Aptitude Area.

Under the “Guaranteed Job” program, the applicant is guaranteed training in a specific AFSC (Air Force Job). Under the Guaranteed Aptitude program, the applicant is guaranteed that he/she will be selected for a job that falls into one of the designated aptitude areas.

The Air Force has divided all of their jobs into four aptitude areas (General, Electronic, Mechanical, and Administrative). It is unfortunate, but true that a majority of Air Force jobs (approximately 60 percent) are are reserved for individuals joining under the Guaranteed Aptitude program.

Therefore, many of the available jobs are not released to the Air Force Jobs Counselor at MEPS. Instead, they are “reserved” and offered to recruits in basic training, who enlisted under the Guaranteed Aptitude Program.

Visit the full resource article here.