# How do you apply for an age waiver for the Military? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 12, 2017, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144 "2017-09-12T05:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Architect2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Architect2017](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architect2017)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/1 "2017-09-12T05:11:25Z")
When making a case for an age waiver for joining the Military what points should be addressed and arguments that would be made against such a waiver? I ask for the arguments too because anticipating them now could develop a way to counter them. Thank you all for any insight and help that could be made here. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/2 "2017-09-12T06:10:31Z")
Are you too young or too old? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/3 "2017-09-12T06:13:06Z")
Whose military? ---
**Author:** ![Architect2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Architect2017](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architect2017)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/4 "2017-09-12T12:33:35Z")
Too old and for the US Military ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/5 "2017-09-12T12:38:07Z")
Go to an actual recruiter and ask these questions. Go to the AF recruiter first, because that is the best service in the US Military 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/6 "2017-09-12T13:11:30Z")
Didn’t the OP say he was already in the military for a 5 year stint? Are you trying to get out early?.. ---
**Author:** ![Architect2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Architect2017](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architect2017)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/7 "2017-09-12T13:55:25Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Didn’t the OP say he was already in the military for a 5 year stint? > > Are you trying to get out early?.. Um no I have never been in the military. If I was prior service than an age waiver I am seeking would NOT be needed. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/8 "2017-09-12T14:09:45Z")
My apologies. I confused you with another recent poster/thread. ---
**Author:** ![Architect2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Architect2017](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architect2017)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/9 "2017-09-12T14:35:27Z")
No problem at all. Sorry just having a rough morning at work. Anyway as I originally stated if anyone has any helpful points to make that would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2017, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/10 "2017-09-12T15:13:34Z")
I am not in the US, so take this with a grain of salt… Waivers will depend a lot on what you are bringing to the service, for example it’s a lot easier to get a waiver for an orthopaedic surgeon that wants to serve vs someone that is coming in with no useful or transferable skills. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/11 "2017-09-13T02:06:30Z")
Which service, what job you’re aiming for, officer vs. enlisted, what relevant civil experience you may have, etc. all have huge bearing on what the odds are and what parts of your age & history are to your advantage and should be played up vs. which are not and should be played down or deflected or ignored. Ask a recruiter. Seriously. And if the tone of the response is “Go away, you’re hopeless”, then go to the next town and ask that guy. Last of all, the “mood” of the service matters hugely. There are times when a service has an excess of people and is barely keeping the intake process ticking over while turning away the vast majority of applicants. There are other times when that same service is desperate for anyone who’s breathing and can pass a drug screen on the second try. There is no guarantee that all 5 services have the same attitude at any given time. Just because Army is overloaded doesn’t mean USAF isn’t desperate. Or vice versa. Don’t forget the Coast Guard. It’s easy to forget and if enough other people have done so, they might be more desperate than the others. If you’re just trying to find a job, any job, the service is really not the thing for you. You didn’t ask, but it’s worth mentioning. Being in the service for the wrong reason can be a life-alteringly miserable experience. ---
**Author:** ![Architect2017](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Architect2017](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Architect2017)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-apply-for-an-age-waiver-for-the-military/796144/12 "2017-09-13T02:08:25Z")
All excellent points that are being made