https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/25/army-max-enlistment-marijuana-restrictions

After missing its recruitment target by 25% in 2022, the US army has changed its approach to attracting more people into the forces, including targeting more gen Z applicants.

However, the average age of recruits has been increasing, with analysts at the Rand Corp in 2023 recommending an increase in the maximum enlisted age as older recruits are “of higher quality, more focused, and more motivated, as well as being ready to ship to basic training more quickly”.

  • JustSo [she/her, any]@hexbear.netEnglish
    20·
    2 months ago

    I believe it, as far as it goes.

    I doubt they stay leaps and bounds ahead of the kids once they reach basic, to say nothing of how many would wash out from a minor injury that a young guy would just ignore and power through.

    Older recruits are statistically likely to just be cannon fodder. Not everyone can be an officer, or intelligence. The mill must have its grist.

    100% this though. They can probably push them through the system faster because they’ll never be expected to do anything sophisticated and it’d be a waste of resources pouring a full career-starter’s training into a guy who’s not gonna make it (or has at most like 10 service years left in them compared to the potential of a 19 year old.)