I didn’t join right out of college—I joined after law school. I took a few years off between college and law school, so I was 27 when I joined. It wasn’t weird for me but that might be in large part because I joined the JAG Corps, which required a law degree, so most people I was in training with were around my age.
I’ve known other people who joined later than the standard age, and they mostly did really well. It probably helped that respect for your elders is one of those more traditional values that is somewhat a part of military culture.
I did do airborne school when I was 33. I was one of the oldest, if not the oldest person in my class. No issues at all—though maybe hitting my body that hard at 33 was more ache-inducing than it would have been in my 20s.
If you don’t mind me asking, I have a few questions:
Did you join right out of college?
If not, was that weird being above what I imagine being the minimum/standard age to join the military?
I didn’t join right out of college—I joined after law school. I took a few years off between college and law school, so I was 27 when I joined. It wasn’t weird for me but that might be in large part because I joined the JAG Corps, which required a law degree, so most people I was in training with were around my age.
I’ve known other people who joined later than the standard age, and they mostly did really well. It probably helped that respect for your elders is one of those more traditional values that is somewhat a part of military culture.
I did do airborne school when I was 33. I was one of the oldest, if not the oldest person in my class. No issues at all—though maybe hitting my body that hard at 33 was more ache-inducing than it would have been in my 20s.