US Army Raises Enlistment Age to 42, Eases Drug Conviction Policy

New guidance widens eligibility and simplifies enlistment process, as officials seek to address recruiting gaps and reflect evolving legal and social standards.

Kelly McBride Ni

Published: 3/26/2026, 11:46:10 PM EDT

US Army Raises Enlistment Age to 42, Eases Drug Conviction Policy — U.S. Army trainees arrive at the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta on Dec. 19, 2025. (Reuters/Screenshot via NTD)

The U.S. Army has raised its maximum enlistment age to 42 and eased restrictions for applicants with minor drug-related offenses, making military service accessible to more Americans.

The changes, published March 20 in Army Regulation 601-210, according to Stars and Stripes, raise the age cap from 35 to 42. While some older candidates previously received waivers, the new rule now applies broadly to the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve.

The minimum enlistment age is still 17 with parental consent, or 18 without. Each branch of the U.S. military sets its own age limits for active-duty enlistment, according to USA.gov. According to the Go Army website, it currently still states that Army applicants must be between 17 and 34 years old, as of March 26.

The Air Force and Space Force accept recruits from ages 17 to 42. The Coast Guard and Navy accept applicants aged 17 to 41. For the Marine Corps, the range is 17 to 28.

In some cases, older individuals may be eligible for waivers. The Army last increased the age cap to 42 in 2006 during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, then lowered it to 35 in 2016, according to Stars and Stripes.

Throughout history, the U.S. Army's enlistment ages have changed. In the 18th and 19th centuries, military acts often included all able-bodied men up to age 45.

During World War II, the draft age was lowered to 18 and later raised to 37, with the average age of combat soldiers around 26. In the Vietnam War, the average age of a combat soldier dropped to 19, as the draft targeted younger men.

The 2026 change raises the age cap to 42 to address recruiting challenges, bringing the Army in line with the Navy and the Air Force's age limits.

The new rules also let applicants with one conviction for marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia join the Army without a waiver—an offense that previously could have disqualified them unless they got an exception.

Previously, recruits with a conviction for marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia needed a Pentagon-approved waiver, had to wait 24 months after the conviction, and were required to pass a drug test at a Military Entrance Processing Station.

Because marijuana laws vary by state, the new policy keeps enlistment rules in step with evolving legal standards and recruitment demands, according to Task & Purpose.

The U.S. Army says older recruits have found success in basic combat training. In 2020, Staff Sgt. Monte Gould, a 59-year-old Marine and Army Reserves veteran, completed basic combat training and became the oldest person to finish this version of the training.

Gould placed in the top 10 percent of his class, and his unit cadre praised his candor, leadership skills, and technical expertise. The Army also reported that a 68-year-old entered basic combat training in 1999.

NTD requested a comment from the U.S. Army but had not received a response by the time of publication.