Thread: Too old for infantry?

I'm thinking of joining my local TA infantry unit (7th btn The Rifles).

I understand that the official upper age limit for joinin the TA is 43, but is 33 too old in practice to join the TA infantry for somebody with no prior military service? I get the impression that youth is more highly prized in the combat arms than it might be in more technical and support roles.

I've been reading various threads here on fitness standards and I believe that I can meet the standards for infantry with consistent training in my own time.

Thanks in advance.

Not too old at all. You are within the age bracket, and if you meet the fitness standards then you can start training.

You will need to sign out a very large sense of humour and a fixed smile before you start training!

You will be fine lots of older guys joining the ta .TA infantry was always full of slightly older blokes than regulars anyway .Fitness is a problem for a lot of recruits what ever the age I am old and lazy but even some guys
in there 20s are behind me .
At my age i should be encouraging the guys carrying the stretcher not carrying it myself :oops
People forget even trained soldiers if they havn't done if for a while running around with guns and stuff (technical term :D )hurts and no matter how fit you are its still going to hurt .Feels great when it over though :D .
Have fun recruit training is a laugh even more so if you are fit.

Guy I did phase B with was 42 and had no problems at all.

It's not a problem if you're fit, like woody said, it's gonna hurt whatever your age, the difference is that you'll have a bit more life experience and maturity.

Bare in mind though that the basic fitness standards only tell half the story, it's the hours of platoon attacks over miles of evil terrain , the endless patrolling everywhere and the sleep deprivation, etc.

That's when a lot of the younger lads decide they're not playing anymore and invent an injury.

The older lads tend to just keep plodding along.

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll keep up the running and circuits and go and see them once I'm under the time for TA infantry on the mile and a half.

I'd go and see them ASAP and start the ball rolling, get your medical, your selection and kit issue out the way, you don't need to be under the 10:30 till CIC and for you that's some way away.

For the time being to start your training you only have to be able to run it in 13 mins.

Im a training nco in 6th rifles the last recruit weekend we had 3 guys over the age of forty so no ure definitely not to old

Originally Posted by interestednovice

I'm thinking of joining my local TA infantry unit (7th btn The Rifles).

I understand that the official upper age limit for joinin the TA is 43, but is 33 too old in practice to join the TA infantry for somebody with no prior military service? I get the impression that youth is more highly prized in the combat arms than it might be in more technical and support roles.

I've been reading various threads here on fitness standards and I believe that I can meet the standards for infantry with consistent training in my own time.

Thanks in advance.

Mate, even 4 Para is recruiting up to 44 with previous Military experiance. For people like yourself with no previous experiance the limit is 34.

Go for it - and good luck! :D

All depends if you can see yourself tabbing and yomping up and down hills with 17 year olds,
I myself have the dilema of being slightly older and out of the regular army a long time but if i could do it I would. I would be happy enough to drive the rover and just talk bollox about my none existant sex life erm.

Originally Posted by Werewolf

Originally Posted by interestednovice

I'm thinking of joining my local TA infantry unit (7th btn The Rifles).

I understand that the official upper age limit for joinin the TA is 43, but is 33 too old in practice to join the TA infantry for somebody with no prior military service? I get the impression that youth is more highly prized in the combat arms than it might be in more technical and support roles.

I've been reading various threads here on fitness standards and I believe that I can meet the standards for infantry with consistent training in my own time.

Thanks in advance.

Mate, even 4 Para is recruiting up to 44 with previous Military experiance. For people like yourself with no previous experiance the limit is 34.

Go for it - and good luck! :D

That's not entirely true - age limit is 43 regardless

Quote from TA Regs
TA Group A
1. New Entrants.
a. Minimum Age. Young soldiers aged 17-17½ years may be enlisted into all corps.
b. Maximum Age. The upper age limit for enlistment for all new entrants to Group A, with effect from the 1 April
2007 is 43 years; candidates are to be attested before their 43rd birthday. Exceptions to this ruling for soldiers in
specific employments are shown at paras 9 - 15.
c. Final Approval of Enlistment. The officer in charge of TA & Res MCM Div is the sole authority for the final
approval of enlistments and re-engagements (see paras 5.090, 5.144 and 5.146).

Age is only a factor if it effects your ability to perform your duties. Frankly I think that there is a need for caution as yiour likely peer group will be much younger and you might struggle, but it is your call.

Yeah. Only one way to find out I suppose. Big part of why I'm interested in this is to see if I can.

Originally Posted by Toysoldier_1967

Originally Posted by Werewolf

Originally Posted by interestednovice

I'm thinking of joining my local TA infantry unit (7th btn The Rifles).

I understand that the official upper age limit for joinin the TA is 43, but is 33 too old in practice to join the TA infantry for somebody with no prior military service? I get the impression that youth is more highly prized in the combat arms than it might be in more technical and support roles.

I've been reading various threads here on fitness standards and I believe that I can meet the standards for infantry with consistent training in my own time.

Thanks in advance.

Mate, even 4 Para is recruiting up to 44 with previous Military experiance. For people like yourself with no previous experiance the limit is 34.

Go for it - and good luck! :D

That's not entirely true - age limit is 43 regardless

Quote from TA Regs
TA Group A
1. New Entrants.
a. Minimum Age. Young soldiers aged 17-17½ years may be enlisted into all corps.
b. Maximum Age. The upper age limit for enlistment for all new entrants to Group A, with effect from the 1 April
2007 is 43 years; candidates are to be attested before their 43rd birthday. Exceptions to this ruling for soldiers in
specific employments are shown at paras 9 - 15.
c. Final Approval of Enlistment. The officer in charge of TA & Res MCM Div is the sole authority for the final
approval of enlistments and re-engagements (see paras 5.090, 5.144 and 5.146).

The 4 Para website sets the age limit at 44 with previous military experiance.

The only exception is Them Reserve; 34 is the maximum(again, taken from the UKSFR website).

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