Although the military has seen its highest recruiting percentage of mission-achieving recruits in more than 15 years, in 2025, those wanting to join the military have trouble meeting the standards set for them. While many young people want to join the military under assertive leaders, they are finding themselves unqualified.
Goal Recruitment
Last year, the Army had a goal of 61,000 recruits and attained 62,050, totaling 101.72% of its goal. The average age of enlistees into the military had been 19. Currently, the average for enlisting is 23. However, the U.S. Army has raised its max recruitment age from 35 to 42. This comes as the United States has struggled to meet its recruitment standards in recent years and amid a desire to reenlist those who left due to harsh COVID mandates.
Standards
Part of the reason for the change? American youth are not ready to fight in the military.
ABC News reports that, “The Pentagon has estimated that only 23% of young Americans (between the ages of 17 and 24) are eligible to serve. Much of this is due to academic performance on the military’s SAT-style entrance test, obesity, and criminal records.”
Additionally, the Army will now allow enlistments of individuals with only one marijuana-related conviction. This is a sad indication of the changes put on our youth in the past decade.
History
The move isn’t without precedent. The service lifted the cap to 42 years old in 2006, during the height of the Iraq War, before lowering it back to 35 a decade later. The current age raising was decided long before the war in teh mid-east began.
Other Branches
Bringing the limit back up puts the Army more in line with the Air Force and Navy regulations, which limit enlistment to 41. The Marine Corps caps recruits at 28 years old, though older applicants can potentially enlist with special permission.
Young people considering entering the military need to take their options seriously. Perhaps getting in shape and having no criminal record go a long way.
