The 42 Year Old Story

 I noticed this past week....the Air Force raised maximum enlistment age to 42 (officers and enlisted).

I pondered upon this.

Up to age 41 years and 364 days, you can walk into a recruitment center and sign up now.   

Handling basic?  If you went out to the general public (male and female) and asked a 39-year old about their physical shape (to handle basic training)....I'd say fewer than 10-percent are in that type of physical shape.  

What older guy (or gal) would walk in and enlist at age 38 or 40?  Maybe if you were seriously unemployed (ex-teacher burned out,  for example)....it'd make sense.  

The chief issue I'd see....you'd be in four years....an E-5 (Staff Sergeant).  On life experience, you'd probably start to seriously question both officers and enlisted above you.  

As for numbers of people jumping in?  I'm guessing there might be a hundred folks a year who fit into this older enlistment deal.