The US Navy is facing recruiting challenges in a tight labour market, and has raised its maximum enlistment age to 41 in order to attract more sailors to the fleet. The Navy is also looking to increase its use of bonuses and other financial incentives to attract recruits.
The middle age recruits will be eligible to serve in combat assignments in some of the most physically demanding Navy communities, including the NAVY SEALs.
“As we continue to navigate a challenging recruiting environment, raising the enlistment age allows us to widen the pool of potential recruits, creating opportunities for personnel who wish to serve,” US Navy Commander Dave Benham told the Navy Times.
The US Coast Guard is also looking for dedicated individuals to join its ranks, and the age limits are slightly more flexible. Active duty recruits must be aged 35 or under, but some officer programs welcome older recruits, and the age limit for new reservists is 40.
US citizens above the age of 41 have another option for serving their country at sea. Older individuals can obtain Merchant Mariner Credentials from the USCG and apply to sail aboard US Navy ships as civil service sailors with the Military Sealift Command. Recruits deciding on this option, however, must be able to obtain a security clearance and be capable of passing pre-employment physical examination.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.