Age Limits to Join

[marshmanguy]

Queen's Own, well I will be eventually.

 

[BRiGADE]

Hello, I'm a 16 year old living in Mississauga, Ontario - Canada

I moved to Canada 6 years ago from Jordan, but I'm originally from Iraq.

I have no military experience.

Growing up, I've always wanted to join a military branch & become a soldier.. I'm very enthusastic about it.

Please tell me if this plan is good (It was given to me by my fathers friends, he's very experienced):

Co-op -> TIMES WHEN
Summer Course... 6 Weeks +/-
FALL -> Continuing... Every other Tuesday Night 3 Hours +/-
(SUMMER 1) INFANTRY -> QL2 COURSE -> Christmas
(SUMMER 2) INFANTRY -> QL3 COURSE -> Christmas

Thank you.

 

[Gunner]

Brigade,

Please read the attached thread prior to posting and questions.  Your questions are too generic to answer.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/21101.0.html

 

[tyovan4]

Is there an upper age limit for joining the Army?

I've been able to find a minimum age, but I've yet to come across a maximum age on the recruiting site. Is there one? And if there is, how old is the maximum?

Thanks

 

[ab136]

52 or 55 I not sure. It use to be on recruiting site but I can't find it right now.
Correct me if I am wrong ???

 

[mdh]

I think the absolute supper limit is now 57 because of the mandatory retirement extension - but there are certain trades such as pilot where there is a an earlier age limit - (which I think is 46??? could be wrong but it's close to that) - overall don't be too hung up on the age factor there are a lot of folks signing up again who are in their late 30s - to 40s (including myself), cheers, mdh

 

[ab136]

Just turned 40 and waiting for my call ;D ;D

 

[mdh]

ps tyovan4 there is already a pretty extensive series of threads on the age issue if you use the search function - both for and against which makes for interesting reading, cheers, mdh

 

[chrisf]

Wasn't it bumped up to 60 recently? As a slight sidenote, the rangers have a retirement age of 65.

 

[Michael OLeary]

The current mandatory retirement age for service mebers is 60, but I believe that service past 55 is by exception (you need specific approval for it). Since the minimum contract term for Regular Force Non-Commissioned members is 3 years, it is reasonable to assume that 52 will normally be considered the maximum age for recruitment (i.e., before or on the applicant's 52nd birthday) to allow completion of the contract before the age of 55. Subtract from that the evidence presented on these forums that the recruiting process could take 4 to 24+ months to determine when an older aplicant might have to start the recruiting process.

 

[winchable]

Anyone know what the (if any) upper age limit is for RMC applications?
Out of curiosity.

 

[kincanucks]

Anyone know what the (if any) upper age limit is for RMC applications?
Out of curiosity.

Basic engagement = 9 years starting after graduation (includes obligatory service and five years of commissioned service).
Normal degree = 4 years.
Retirement age = 60.

Upper age limit to join RMC = before 47th birthday.   It would be earlier for pilot or ANAV.

Scary thought?

 

[winchable]

Well that's a kick in the pants (a good kind)
I'm certain I read somewhere that it was 22.

Or is it, you can still back out up to your second year in?
Numbers get muddle in my head sometimes I think.
In any case, thanks.

 

[kincanucks]

Well that's a kick in the pants (a good kind)
I'm certain I read somewhere that it was 22.

Or is it, you can still back out up to your second year in?
Numbers get muddle in my head sometimes I think.
In any case, thanks.

You must release before the end of the first year to not incur obligatory service.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

47 enrolling at RMC? I am 30 at a civi U and I feel like I am ancient.

Just curious, are there examples of this or is it just the policy?

 

[kincanucks]

47 enrolling at RMC? I am 30 at a civi U and I feel like I am ancient.

Just curious, are there examples of this or is it just the policy?

It is policy.   You would be hard pressed to find any 47 year olds going through the recruiting process to go to RMC.

 

[frank249]

The short answer is that the CF cannot discriminate based on a person's age.  There is a mininmum age and a compulsory retirement age but other than that, age does not matter as long as you meet the other requirments such as fitness, education, medical etc. 

 

[TCBF]

My experience has been that as I aged, I became injured more easily, I got out of shape faster when I was injured, and it took longer to get back into shape as the injury was neutralized.  There are three other factors that can complicate this.

1. Physical.  Our bodies remember old wounds.  You might say they hold grudges.  As well, cartilage breaks down and  we lose bone density and muscle mass.  

2. Situational.  Our mid-life/end-career flow means we are often denied the benefits of regular unit PT when we need it most.  The added time crunch of families (the ones the Army didn't issue us) hits at the same time, just as an added bonus.

3. Moral. "The moral is to the physical as three to one" - Herbert W. Kornfeld (just kidding).  My knees know I'm fifty.  My neck knows I had a tree broken over my head while driving a Lynx.  My spine knows I was run into and tossed 15 feet by an M548 (not it's fault, an M1A1 hit it).  My arches know a Leopard C1 tank track was dropped across my feet.  

But my brain does not know these things.   My brain keeps trying to tell me to do things without the prior training, preparation and stretching my body needs to stay serviceable.   My brain thinks it is living in a 19 year old body on Basic Para at CABC Edmonton.  My brain wants my body to wake up drunk in Germany on a Sunday morning and drive to France and run a marathon the same day, on a Pils inspired whim, without the benefit of training..

My brain can no longer understand why my body cannot do this.  

After all, it's done it before.

So, to make a short story long:  Try and do the bulk of your physical sojerin' before you are old enough to get on the TTC buses for free.

I was probably in my best shape between thirty and thirty five years old.

It is a wonderful life, full of great people, but if you do it right - pedal to the metal (driving your life like you stole it) - it takes a toll.  Physically.  At least, physically.

Ah, but the stories you will tell!

"Old age is a train wreck." - de Gaulle

 

[2 Cdo]

TCBF, well said and I concur 100%! I find myself in the same boat now that I am "older", longer to heal from any injuries and the fitness levels fall dramatically when I can't train. That being said it is strictly up to you and as you get older the mental toughness will carry you a lot further then you think! I still pride myself that I am in better shape then 90% of Canada's youth that are HALF my age!

:gunner:

 

[X Royal]

Is thirty to old for full-time infantry-NO if your in excellent physical shape. For future promotions you will be competing with people 8-10 younger on the average so keeping your physical condition tops will require more effort on your part if you want to succeed. Infantry is one of the more physically demanding groups in the military. To tread on being not politically correct at thirty you are will be approaching the upper end the the age limit to compete and succeed when starting out in the infantry.
On my ISCC I was 27 years old and referred to as pops by the rest of the course & some of the  younger staff also. BTW I finished 3rd overall.

Good Luck