How many years can you spend in the military/US Army?

Question

Without breaking your 60 years old limit/forced retirement? Can it go all the way till 60? Can you spend 32-40 years? I will give more decription of why I am asking.

I am almost enlisted in the US Army, for the minimum contract I can get. But My main aspiration is to be an officer(I still want to enlist though). I know I want to make higher than colonel, an dI know this is all speculations but lets say im qualified for it all, would I be able to stay till general ranks?

I found it to be easy to get my AA real quick CLEPing, Dual enrollment, and online work+military credits. And I felt instead of going to college for those 2 years why not enlist, and get some experience, while serving and using my Arabic? I am enlisting in either an MI or Signals MOS.

The point though was that I might be commisisoned lets say 2012 or 2014. I would be maybe 25 or 26 at commission. Id have my bachelors by then. could I theoretically stay in for the rest 20-30 years? Based on the answers, if I am fully qualified at most promotions then yes. so Id be 55 or so at retirement... which is all I wanted to know.

Oh no by minimum I meant I would be ocming back later as an officer. and yes I qualify for OCS, th eminimum is a GT of 110. Im on it.

To put more simple details, Lets say 4 years Enlisted, 1-2 to finish bachelors(if unfinished although most likely it wont be) and then the next 20-30 commissioned. I just wanted to know if those all fit in the age limist under 60.

Answer 1

Yes you can. Very few people stay in past the 30 year mark as enlisted. The medical field and chaplains are one of the few fields people stay in past 30 years. Most Generals get out at 30 - 32 years unless they are 4 star and on the Joint Chiefs or the Senior Officer in that service like the Commandant of the Marine Corps. There is a CWO-5 in the Marines that has been there 40+ years so there are a few cases.

Answer 2

You have plenty of time to find out the max. I did meet a young lady that is a Senior Chief in the Navy Reserve.
We had a brief talk. She said at 30 years she would forced out.

I just checked the Army web site and did not find anything. I seem to recall though that back in dino days an E6 could do 22 an E7 25 and E8 E9 30. Back then if you had not made E6 by your 15th year you were history. I have been out since before you were born, so there may have been a few changes.

Officers may have similar manditory years by rank as well.

The Reserve and NG may have different takes on age too.

SSG US Army 73-82

Answer 3

First you better make sure you score high enough on testing to get considered for Officer candidate school.Then you better get it in writing that you can get in.Enlisting for the minimum contract is a flag against you from the start.The Army isnt going to waste time and money if you cant gauretee a commitment.Making rank at the lower end is basicly by promotion based on your knowledge accomplishments etc.Making it to General is a full time commitment and will take many years.Alot of education will be required to make that rank and getting appointed is probably what will be required.Im sure with a bit of research you will find that a lot of high ranking officers,have attened many schools and have been in the military for many years.My quess that there are officers that have been in close to 60 years.These men are very hard to replace and the military needs them for there leadership and knowledge.IM pretty certain that you must make LT. before you are twenty eight which depending how old you are shouldnt be a problem,due to fact that after graduating OCS you come out with the rank of second Lt.

Answer 4

You will be hard pressed to find an enlisted person that has 40 yrs. They change the ranks you must achieve by certain years of service inorder to stay in. When I was in you had to make E7 by 18yrs if I remember correctly. For officers I am not positive what ranks have to be achieved by certain yrs of service but colonel typically wont come much before 20 yrs if you are in the right MOS and dot your I's and cross your T's just right.

Back in the old days, people could stay until the age limit was reached and generals would be called back into service- think MacArthur

Answer 5

You are only allowed to serve 30 years in the military,

Without approval of the Secretary of your Service branch.

The military does have an up or out system.

Where you must be promoted within a certain time frame, or you have to leave the military.

Generally very few people are allowed to serve past 30 years.

Mainly special cases:

General officers, Senior enlisted of each service,

And other individuals who have unique qualifications.

Answer 6

It depends on how much rank you get. If you enter as an officer, you will get booted out at 14 years if you do not make it to major (Lt Cdr in the Navy). You will have to retire at 20 years if you don't make it to Lt Col (Cdr in the Navy) and 28 if you don't make Col (Capt in the Navy) and 30 if you don't make it to General or Admiral. Retirement maxes out at 30 years. You have to get to Staff Sgt/Navy PO1 to stay for 20 years and retire. There are different up or out dates for higher enlisted ranks but you have to retire after 30 years.

Answer 7

Not true, if you go into the medical field they let you stay longer then 60 years old. My dads doctor was 65 when he retired.

Why do you want go enlisted?

Answer 8

43 years as you are required to retire at 60.

Answer 9

Your time clock restarts at commissioning, and is strictly governed by age and total COMMISSIONED service. Medical officers go longer.

MSgt, USAF (Ret)

Answer 10

They'll keep you straight up until sixty as long as you can prove your capability. By the way, did you know that our military system is loosely based on the Spartan military?