The minimum age to join the U.S. military is generally 17 years old with parental consent, or 18 years old without parental consent. Each branch has its own specific age limits for enlistment:
- Air Force: 17 to 42 years old
- Army: 17 to 35 years old
- Coast Guard: 17 to 41 years old
- Marine Corps: 17 to 28 years old
- Navy: 17 to 41 years old
- Space Force: 17 to 42 years old
For example, to join the Army as a regular soldier, you must be at least 16 years old to apply (with parental consent if under 18) and be enlisted before your 36th birthday. Officers generally must be between 18 and 29 years old, with some exceptions for specialists
. If you are not old enough, you can join programs like the Army Cadet Force starting at age 12 to gain experience and training before enlisting
. In summary, the typical age range to join active duty military service is from 17 (with parental consent) up to around 28 to 42 depending on the branch, with some flexibility for prior service or special roles
