Age Limits to Join

[Joe Blow]

Great discussion.  Although I believe that the mental space exemplified by statements like 'you're as young as you feel' is a great one (I'm in far better shape than I was 10 yrs ago because of that head space.), statistically speaking there is a negative corelation between age and both physical ability and mental plasticity (read situational adaptability).

Personally, ideally, I think that everyone should be judged individually, and I believe Retired CC's comment should be spot on.

attitude and good physical condition have everything to do with it.

Individual ability, ideally, should be the question in the HR process.

However, knowing that the CF has great numbers of applicants to process I am wondering if they rely on age as a filter in the merit listing process.

So, on along the lines of the "am I too old" subject, I have a question:

Does anyone know if your age will affect your merit listing?

[edit] ..I am encouraged by the number of people my age reporting success in the recruiting process. [/edit]

(pls. Tell me if this is best dealt with in a new thread? ..or a specific search ..nothing found. - thx.)

 

[Dakota]

Hey Joe Blow: You have brought up an excellent point, which I have wondered also. You are told that your age is not a factor. ( To a certain point, that is) Everyone has to be realistic. You hope that your physical ability, not your age would determine if you are selected. Obviously the selection boards are relying on the Recruiting process to give them qualified individuals, mentally and physically or you would not have made it this far.

Maybe someone or the always reliable Kincanucks, can shed some light on if an older recruit might be selected after a younger recruit.

Cheers.

 

[kincanucks]

If you meet the physical and medical fitness standards and the other recruiting requirements then you can be enrolled into the CF.   Age is not a factor unless you will not be able to fulfill your terms of service and is not taken into consideration when selecting suitable applicants for the CF.

 

[Dakota]

Thanks again Kincanucks. I knew you would have the answer. For some the older guys out there, me included, bottom line we would not have made it this far if we not qualified. That is one of the great things about the CF, you are not restricted by your age and you are still given the opportunity to apply.

Damn aren't you proud to be a Canadian.

 

 

[Joe Blow]

Thanks for the word Kincanuks. 

 

[Neveltell]

I have been seriously thinking about joining but have been told that I am to old and it would be very hard on my body. I am 27 and in okm physical shape, I am working on that right now.

Is this true? Am I to old?

If anything this has just pissed me of and made me want to prove him wrong.

I would appreciate any feed back that anyone can offer

Thank You

 

[Pieman]

No way that you are too old. Check out the FAQ section as questions about age have been answered before.

 

[P-Free]

Age is just a state of mind.

 

[NavComm]

I have been seriously thinking about joining but have been told that I am to old and it would be very hard on my body. I am 27 and in okm physical shape, I am working on that right now.

Is this true? Am I to old?

If anything this has just pissed me of and made me want to prove him wrong.

I would appreciate any feed back that anyone can offer

Thank You

Oh my goodness 27? I don't think you should let your advanced age stop you. Check with your nearest recruiting centre, but I believe the maximum age for eligibility is about 28 yrs older than you are.

 

[swanita]

I have been seriously thinking about joining but have been told that I am to old and it would be very hard on my body. I am 27 and in okm physical shape, I am working on that right now.

Is this true? Am I to old?

If anything this has just pissed me of and made me want to prove him wrong.

I would appreciate any feed back that anyone can offer

Thank You

On my reserve basic, i was 20 & there was a male & a female who were both 30 and did very well. Depends on a number of factors with physical abilities & level of motivation being part of it as well. Only you can determine that!

 

[Missye]

When my husband joined 3 years ago he was 28! He is in better shape now then he was when he was in his early twenties. You are as old as you feel. If this is something you really want to do don't let a silly thing like age stop you.  

 

[Sig_Des]

on my res Basic last we had one guy who was 46 and another who was +50. Both passed

 

[RangerRay]

Interesting...my experience with older recruits is the opposite of what I'm seeing here.

Guys older than 25 tended to be less motivated by directing staff than the guys who were 18, 19 and 20.

Nothing to do with the physical abilities of the older recruits, but the younger guys seemed to handle the BS factor of QL2/3 alot better than the older guys.

I'm 31 right now, I know I couldn't handle the BS factor like I could when I was 20.  If I was to do my basic now, I'd probably tell the DS to shove it up his arse as soon as he started piling BS on me... ;D

 

[NavComm]

There was a guy at bmq who was 48, I am 45, another woman was 32 and another 36. So yeah, living in a barrack with 2 platoons of mostly 18-23 yr olds was a bit of a challenge. I got over it.

You'd think from these posts that 27 was just one step away from retirement. My goodness, I hope you've got your room reserved at the senior's centre, those next 38 years will just fly by! Tell ya what...instead of getting yourself down to the nearest recruiting centre, why not check out the bingo schedule? It's probably a hell of a lot easier and you'll be a virtual spring chicken there

 

[NavComm]

Interesting...my experience with older recruits is the opposite of what I'm seeing here.

Guys older than 25 tended to be less motivated by directing staff than the guys who were 18, 19 and 20.

Nothing to do with the physical abilities of the older recruits, but the younger guys seemed to handle the BS factor of QL2/3 alot better than the older guys.

I'm 31 right now, I know I couldn't handle the BS factor like I could when I was 20.   If I was to do my basic now, I'd probably tell the DS to shove it up his arse as soon as he started piling BS on me... ;D

I totally disagree with you. I found the younger recruits were a bundle of tears if the instructors picked on them. The older recruits were much more capable of handling the BS....just my 2 cents

 

[RangerRay]

I totally disagree with you. I found the younger recruits were a bundle of tears if the instructors picked on them. The older recruits were much more capable of handling the BS....just my 2 cents

Mind you I did my basic in the early 90s when men were men, etc., etc...  ;D

I have no idea how coddled the current generation of young recruits is.  In my day, us young bucks could handle a Master Corporal jacking us up!  The 30 year old was more likely to shake his head and walk away from him! 

 

[Joe Blow]

I'm an ..um ..older applicant and to be honest with you I am wondering what kind of reaction I will have to the crapping-on-you-for-the-sake-of-crapping-on-you aspect of things.  (If - God willing - I ever get a job offer.  Papers submitted October '04  :)

Which is to say i expect that kind of thing from time to time (..questions with no real answer bla bla that sort of thing) ..and from people younger than myself no less.  :  :boring:  ..But who are also more experienced in the mysterious ways of the Infantry. 

I expect that I will don a passive emotional stance and think of the future.  I can do anything as long as there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

..as for physically ..just train hard and score as well as you can on the fitness test to keep yourself competative.

Cheers.

 

[RangerRay]

More the power to you guys!  Just giving my narrow perspective is all...

I sincerely wish you the best of luck. 

 

[chrisf]

A good friend of mine topped his course at age 40... made an awful roommate afterward though... he was always up bouncing off the walls at 05:00 while I was still trying to sleep off a hang over

 

[Dakota]

As you have seen from all the posts so far and the attached older post you are definitely not too old. There are many of us who are older than you. It is all in how you approach it. Age is only a number. Bottom line is if you are mentally and physically ready for the challenge, you will be fine.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/32712.0.html

Good luck in you decision.
Cheers.