Age Limits to Join

[geo]

There are no formal age limits with respect to when you join.
There are formal maximum age limits with respect to when you must retire.
At present, the basic retirement age is 55 BUT, if you are healthy & fit, you can request that retirement age be bumped back to 60... so on the age front, you are young enough.

However, thing is, once you join, you have to / should to (at least) be able to serve for a certain length of time to make it all worthwhile.  So... if enrollment takes 6 months and initial training takes 18 months (from start to finish) you're already up to 55.....

(trust me, I know.... I'm 54)

 

[GUNS]

Geo, 54, just a young pup yet.

 

[Hogie]

I would check with the recruiting centre to see how many credits you need and if it matters what they are in...for example on PEI it is 6 high school credits, it varies from province to province. 

However, go ahead and apply, be honest, and do your best...that's all you can do and nothing can stop you from actually applying.  If there is a problem they will let you know, and deal with it.

 

[HeadLamp]

Here in Halifax, Nova Scotia the recruiter told me that you only need 5 credits to qualify.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

From the Recruiting Site:

Enrolment - Eligibility

The Army is an equal opportunity employer. All branches of the Canadian Forces are open to men and women. We do have certain criteria that must be met. All employers do. Here are the Basic Eligibility requirements.

Your Must:

be a Canadian citizen
be at least 17 years old (16 years old to apply to the Reserves, with parents permission)
have a minimum grade 10 or Secondary III (QC) education
meet all medical and enrolment standards
successfully complete the pre-enrolment fitness evaluation and aptitude test (This fitness evaluation is for Reserve candidates and
component transfer from Reserve to Regular force only)   

 

[TCBF]

Geo, 54, just a young pup yet.

- More than one 54 year-old young pup around, too...

  8)

 

[geo]

heh.... suddenly I feel like a youngish pup again....

Thanks guys ;D

 

[jmcd902]

thanks to all who replied

be a Canadian citizen    check
be at least 17 years old (16 years old to apply to the Reserves, with parents permission)    will be 17 in little over a week
have a minimum grade 10 or Secondary III (QC) education      finished grade 10 but dont have grade 10 math..does this still count as my grade 10? (i have 5 credits) 
meet all medical and enrolment standards    i dont think i'll have a problem here
successfully complete the pre-enrolment fitness evaluation and aptitude test    also shouldn't have a problem with this


so.. do i qualify or not?

p.s. i hope i score some brownie points if i go in to see the recruiter on my b-day

 

[George Wallace]

thanks to all who replied

be a Canadian citizen    check
be at least 17 years old (16 years old to apply to the Reserves, with parents permission)    will be 17 in little over a week
have a minimum grade 10 or Secondary III (QC) education      finished grade 10 but dont have grade 10 math..does this still count as my grade 10? (i have 5 credits) 
meet all medical and enrolment standards    i dont think i'll have a problem here
successfully complete the pre-enrolment fitness evaluation and aptitude test    also shouldn't have a problem with this


so.. do i qualify or not?

p.s. i hope i score some brownie points if i go in to see the recruiter on my b-day

Perhaps you should read FIRST OFF - Do you meet the 3 CRITERIA ? once again.  Read over the age requirement again, especially the part that states what you must have if you are not 18 years of age.

 

[jmcd902]

You must be 17 years of age to join the Regular Forces, and have Parental Consent.    check

and ill call the recruit center tomorrow to find out about my situation concerning my grade 10 math

 

[danchapps]

There was a guy on my sister platoon when I was in St- Jean last year that was 52 I believe, and trust me, that guy made ALL of of the young guys look like a bag of hammers the whole course. If you go into BMQ with the right frame of mind you will succeed without issue, being extremely fit is a great bonus.

 

[gaspasser]

After just talking to a Recruiter this afternoon, took my 18 year old for a chit-chat, YOU must be 16 with parent's consent and grade 10...and that's just to qualify for cook or infantry!  I would heavily suggest you go back to SHS and take some courses and get you graduation certificate! 
On a personal note, I remustered a few years back and my high school math marks came back to haunt me...luckily I have some life skills to cover that.
We don't care about your drugs and bad habits...so long as you're not still in that life!  But we do request that you're smart and know which end of the rifle the bullets come out!!!!
Take the advise here and go back to school.
Regards, BYTD
 

 

[rod_barolo]

Again thanks so much for your service to my great country and all the helpful advice.  And, if any of you who were kind enough to take the time to give me your input run into an old soldier named Rod FRASER ( barolo is another story), I owe you a drink. 

 

[GUNS]

It's to bad that age is the deciding factor when soldiering is concerned. I know its required to maintain certain standards within the military but from conversations with former soldiers, both men and women, almost all would resign up or would have stayed in longer(forever).

Civilians have know idea how hard it is for military personnel to hang up their uniforms for the last time.  Civilians retire, soldiers are just on extended leave. 

 

[Danjanou]

Civilians have know idea how hard it is for military personnel to hang up their uniforms for the last time.  Civilians retire, soldiers are just on extended leave. 

Thanks you just made this not quite young pups day.

 

[Boca]

There are no formal age limits with respect to when you join.
There are formal maximum age limits with respect to when you must retire.
At present, the basic retirement age is 55 BUT, if you are healthy & fit, you can request that retirement age be bumped back to 60... so on the age front, you are young enough.

However, thing is, once you join, you have to / should to (at least) be able to serve for a certain length of time to make it all worthwhile.  So... if enrollment takes 6 months and initial training takes 18 months (from start to finish) you're already up to 55.....

(trust me, I know.... I'm 54)

ADM (HR-MIL) INSTRUCTION 14/04
"A member who enrols in the Regular Force on or after 1 July 2004 will have a retirement age of 60 years. Members of the Regular Force serving on 30 June 2004 will have the opportunity to select a retirement age of 60 years no later than one year prior to their current retirement age. Completing the election form at Annex A activates this selection."


It looks to me like you will automatically be at CRA 60 since you joined after 1 July 2004 so you shouldn't have to worry about requesting an extension.

 

[kincanucks]

ADM (HR-MIL) INSTRUCTION 14/04
"A member who enrols in the Regular Force on or after 1 July 2004 will have a retirement age of 60 years. Members of the Regular Force serving on 30 June 2004 will have the opportunity to select a retirement age of 60 years no later than one year prior to their current retirement age. Completing the election form at Annex A activates this selection."


It looks to me like you will automatically be at CRA 60 since you joined after 1 July 2004 so you shouldn't have to worry about requesting an extension.

Thank you for posting that as it seems some people don't quite grasp that fact.

 

[Dacon]

Hello all,

I'm 16 years old and I'm in Grade 10. I want to join the army and do my BMQ in the summer. I was wondering if I could sign up now even though I'm not done grade 10.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Start here:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/68882.0.html

Third:    Do you meet the EDUCATION requirements?

          These will vary from Province to Province and for what "Entry Plan" you are applying for.  In Ontario, for example, it is Grade 10 (Quebec Secondary III) is the minimum to join the Primary Reserves.  Visit your local CFRC to find out what your Provincial requirements are.  It is highly recommended that if you want to make the CF a full-time career, you graduate from High School with a diploma.

          NOTE:  In Ontario, you must be 18 or have graduated High School to legally join the Regular Force (or leave school for any reason).

 

[Dacon]

Thank you for the information

Another question, I'm wondering if the army would let me sign up now and I could give them my Grade 10 graduation transcript in June. I was hoping that if I signed up now, I would be able to do the summer BMQ. It would kinda suck if I had to wait till June before I could sign up.