BETTY UDESEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Jeff Lizotte, 36, intends to take advantage of the Army's new maximum age for enlistment, raised in January from 34 to 39. He sees it as a new opportunity, even though there's a good chance he'll be sent to Iraq.
Posted on 03/03/2006 10:24:47 PM PST by neverdem
so over the past 3 years we are averging 75,030 new recruits nationally.
They should raise the age limit even higher. I know a people in their 40`s who would put a 20 year old to shame, but I guess the military isn`t looking for people just in great shape.
The SEATTLE recruiting station had trouble meeting numbers after we actually went to war...
...why am I not surprised?
Maybe this could be fudged a bit also, boot camp will make them shed the pounds, and if they dont pass just recycle them.
I would rather choose my warriors from men in their thirties ,than women of any age.
i'm not gonna say a word.
Losing one pound is ridiculous, all he would need to do is literally take a dump or not eat for a day. Someone morbidly obese like Michael Moore though would have trouble.
I was a Recruiter before I came to Iraq.
The age limit of 39 is for folks with no prior service. We adjust it upwards for veterans who come back off the bench. It's possible for 46-year-olds to come home, depending on how long they were in before.
Hell, I almost brought back a 42yo fella, even using the regs before this change - he was prior USAF who wanted to go Army Guard.
I'll look for the applicable regs, if anyone asks.
I agree. It is funny, however, that he's wearing a Fatburger restaurant shirt in the article. If he just stays away from there, he should be fine :o).
whats with the weight restriction? does this hamper our recruiting?
Not especially. The weight limits are simply common sense - it's indicative of general health, combat fitness, personal discipline, etc.
The Army Weight Control program (AR 600-9) has all the guidelines.
Also, any troop over 40 also does a mandatory cardio screening annually.
So,
Since I'm 40, with 20 years of prior active service. I wonder, could I get a commision this time, only as an Ensign instead of an E-1, and do 20 as an officer.
Oh, wait a minute. I'm a former Chief. I don't think I could stomach being an Ensign. I'd rather be a boot seaman and clean toilets for a few years (I'd be smiling all the way through it...this time)
Anyway, I think this guy is heading in the exact right direction. He may get a little weary after 10 years or so, but I've seen 60 yr old reservists doing just fine in the field. Good luck to him.
What i mean is do these weight restrictions hamper our overall
recruiting ability not just on old folks, since they have to go though boot they will lose weight and if after boot they then don't meet the requirement, maybe they could recycle them
1 time. What i'm saying is would it help if they raised the weight restriction "for enlistment" not for retension, up by about 10% like 5'10 205lbs can elist, but has to be 189 to pass boot. 16 pounds doesn't sound that that much to lose.
Give it time. By the end of WWII, they we're drafting 50 and 60 yr olds.
It sort of reminds me of that section of the Alice's Restaurant song when you think about it:
Came to talk about the draft.They got a building down New York City, it's called Whitehall Street, where you walk in, you get injected, inspected, detected, infected, neglected and selected. I went down to get my physical examination one day, and I walked in, I sat down, got good and drunk the night before, so I looked and felt my best when I went in that morning. `Cause I wanted to look like the all-American kid from New York City, man I wanted, I wanted to feel like the all-, I wanted to be the all American kid from New York, and I walked in, sat down, I was hung down, brung down, hung up, and all kinds o' mean nasty ugly things. And I waked in and sat down and they gave me a piece of paper, said, "Kid, see the phsychiatrist, room 604."
And I went up there, I said, "Shrink, I want to kill. I mean, I wanna, I wanna kill. Kill. I wanna, I wanna see, I wanna see blood and gore and guts and veins in my teeth. Eat dead burnt bodies. I mean kill, Kill, KILL, KILL." And I started jumpin up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL," and he started jumpin up and down with me and we was both jumping up and down yelling, "KILL, KILL." And the sergeant came over, pinned a medal on me, sent me down the hall, said, "You're our boy."
My hat is off to this proud and patriotic man. He looks fairly buff as it is, so I don't think there is going to be a problem losing that single pound. He could consult some friends who wrestled in high school to learn some quick weight-loss tricks if it's really necessary. Too bad he can't use the signing bonus to eliminate those pesky fines. Godspeed Jeff Lizotte, we're rooting for you!
~ Blue Jays ~
I beat "the system" in Oct 2001 after
the Navy AND National Guard
told me I was "too old" at 53 to serve again.
The only difference is I don't make a dime,
and have to buy my own uniforms.
If someone is REALLY serious about serving again
they can find a way, if they are up to the challenge.
Who are you writing about, the Volkstrum?
Are you kidding? I didn`t know that, I thought only the Germans were doing that. 60 years old, lol! Can you imagine some 20 year old Sargeant giving orders to a 60 year old?
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