It is common today to muster out of military service and begin a new career. Yet, the United States Navy could instead be a second career for those looking for a new challenge as they reach middle age.
There have been times throughout history where the military has sought older, and more experienced individuals to fill the ranks. In wartime, it was common for older commanding officers to return to service – and General Winfield Scott, a veteran of the War of 1812, even returned to service while in his mid 70s to advise President Abraham Lincoln during the opening stages of the American Civil War.
The U.S. Navy isn’t currently seeking any geriatric recruits, but it raised the maximum enlistment age from 39 to 41, as part of an effort to meet its quotas. It has barely made its recruiting goal for active-duty enlisted in Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), which ended on Sept. 30. In total, the Navy successfully recruited 33,442 sailors – just 42 above the goal.
However, the Navy fell about 200 active-duty officers short of its FY22 recruiting efforts, while the reserves also saw shortfalls.
Forty Go
Under the change, 41-year-olds must report to recruit training by their 42nd birthday and cannot have previously served in the military. Certain Navy careers will still have age cutoffs – notably SEALs and divers. However, middle age recruits would still be eligible to serve in combat assignments.
“As we continue to navigate a challenging recruiting environment, raising the enlistment age allows us to widen the pool of potential recruits, creating opportunities for personnel who wish to serve,” Navy Recruiting Command spokesman Cmdr. Dave Benham told the Navy Times.
The service is also looking to increase its use of bonuses and other financial incentives to attract recruits.
Maximum Age Across the Services
The United States Army’s maximum enlistment age is currently 35 years old, while the U.S. Air Force’s current cap is 40. For the United States Marines Corps, the age limit is 38, and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has been largely the most flexible – active duty recruits must be aged 35 or young, but some officer programs are more flexible, welcoming older recruits. The age limit for new reservists is 40.
There are also options for older individuals to serve their country at sea, notably by obtaining Merchant Mariner Credentials from the USCG, which can allow some to even sail aboard U.S. Navy ships as civil service sailors with the Military Sealift Command. This career course will require individuals to obtain a security clearance, and be capable of passing a pre-employment physical examination.
Navy is Still Targeting the Youth
Even as the United States Navy has raised the maximum recruiting age, it doesn’t mean that the service is focused on older millennials. It is still seeking those aged 17 to 24 years.
Last month, the Navy launched a new ad campaign – to coincide with the service’s 247th birthday – which targeted members of Gen Z via videos posted on social media, highlighting a career in the sea service. The videos have been shared across Instagram, but not the video-based TikTok – as the military is not allowed to advertise on it due to its Chinese ownership.
This latest version of its “Forged by the Sea” campaign was meant to influence not just young adults, but also their parents, teachers and other adults from whom they may seek advice.
“Today, just two percent of the youth market is eligible and motivated to serve, and many of the remaining 98 percent say ‘never’ to a Navy career before ever exploring the possibilities,” a statement from VMLY&R, the Navy’s ad agency for the campaign, noted. “This lack of propensity is creating a challenging recruiting environment for all the military branches.”
The ad agency has released three videos that highlight many of the tasks that sailors can do when they join the navy – from tracking storms to flying fighters off of an aircraft carrier to serving on a submarine. The videos reportedly featured current active duty sailors, where each explains how they never thought they’d be performing the jobs seen in the video.
To meet the projected end strength for FY 2023, the Navy will need to recruit 37,700 active-duty enlisted sailors. It now appears that Navy is looking at some young, and some older Americans to fill the ranks.
