Anyone have any advice for going to basic as an older guy?

2016-03-20T22:29:06-04:00

I was doing ROTC in college and due to some personal stuff with school decided I am going to enlist. I'm going to be older than most people there I assume (25) so if anyone has experienced basic around my age range I'd be curious how the experience was.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2016 10:34 PM

2016-03-20T22:34:46-04:00

Won't get treated any differently than the 17 year old kid next to ya. I was 25 when I went through OSUT. It was frustrating to me because I had been working since the summer I turned 16, and was used to doing things my way, and even being in charge. I was the lead service tech at the branch of the company I worked for. Now I had kids who had never done anything besides attend highschool as my peers. As long as you don't cop an attitude, you'll be just fine.

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Mar 20 at 2016 11:01 PM

2016-03-20T23:01:38-04:00

I was 17 when I went through Boot Camp at Parris Island. We had a 28 year old going through. Never saw them treat him any different but his nick name was old man, lol.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 20 at 2016 11:25 PM

2016-03-20T23:25:37-04:00

No problem! I was 25 and four months of being 26! Wow, memories. We had two trainees the ages 39 and I believe 40. These were not two ordinary fellows. Both served several combat tours in Vietnam.
One was a door gunner on Huey.
They had to come into basic because they were out more than 10 years. I believe that has changed.
Advice: Keep your head level, step up to leadership roles and learn from them. If shot down, step up again to use your experience if you are up to it. Stay 100% motivated: Wipe the tears, reach down and give it all you got to motivate you and those around you. You will wear down, you will get drained. In the calm of the training when all is quiet, on the last leg of relays or team runs, PT, etc., reach down just before the end and be strong in motivation as you cross the line to rest. As you rest: Arise and yell and roar encouragement praises to your teammates to step it up: They will! Motivate!
100% military bearing, be a listener, a leader follows. Learn who the subordinate leaders are, they are often very valuable in forming a team.
Get a copy of the Leadership Guide. Read it, more than once and apply it. Get a copy of the NCO Guide, read it, study it, master it.
Your basic training will follow you the rest of your life. It is an investment: Invest by learning, applying and teaching as permitted and to them who listen.
I reflect upon a solider I was graced to be with one night. He came to my bunk late bout 0230 hours. Woke me, scooted across the floor to the wall and asked me, "Percival do you have any goals?"
I said, "yes to get out of here and go home."
"No, no, I mean real goals while you'r here?"
I pondered, thought and said no.
As we sit in the quiet he said he wanted to take the PT award. After his room mate went to sleep, he was up training: I was stunned. Why? This guy was in an accident. When he walked, he had to position one side of his body firm so he could swing the other side of his body tossing his leg out to walk.
I cannot tell you his name, but I live with him in my heart, mind and soul to this day. He taught me several most valuable lessons. I love him for it.
He took that PT award. His competitors went off scale with him as they competed.
He out pushed-up, sat-up, and ran everyone in the unit if not battalion.
Never underestimate anyone on your team: Listen, watch, observe, learn, teach. Allow for humor, it is a medicine to the soul and shall keep it respectful. When people see the humanity in you and the constant encouragement to yourself (never forget yourself) and your ability after you have reached down with and without support: And turn to give constant motivation and encouragement to your team and their development: Watch what you spawn!
Don not allow your mind or anyone to accept "your the old guy." You are in the beginning of the prime of your life!
Peace, drive on and be the best in your training.
Oorah!
Shoot for Honor Grad!
Respectfully,

Frederick

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Mar 20 at 2016 11:26 PM

2016-03-20T23:26:17-04:00

At 72 it is perplexing for me to hear that a guy 25 years old is considered "older".

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made Mar 21 at 2016 5:51 AM

2016-03-21T05:51:58-04:00

I graduated from Basic the day before my 31st birthday!

25 is not old, and you almost certainly won't be the oldest person in your platoon. How's your physical fitness? If you can pass the Army Physical Fitness Test BEFORE you go to Basic, the greatest potential stressor is eliminated.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Mar 21 at 2016 6:51 AM

2016-03-21T06:51:43-04:00

Went thru basic with a cop that was 30. He functioned just as good as us younger guys( 18 - 22)

Response by CPT Mark Gonzalez made Mar 21 at 2016 7:18 AM

2016-03-21T07:18:52-04:00

I felt at 22, there was a difference due to age for myself, but it was mostly self inflicted as I was a smart ass. I did witness a lot of Alpha male immaturity, such as an I'll beat your ass mentality and chest thumping with Soldiers of rather low intelligence, but as time wore on the platoon came together and things worked out well. I would focus on your fitness and just realize that smart or older Soldiers sometimes are their own worst enemies as they feel entitled or are upset that they are the low man, but you have to follow in order to lead. With a proper attitude you'll do great and shouldn't worry about this.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2016 7:49 AM

2016-03-21T07:49:25-04:00

I did Army BCT at age 28 weighing in at about 216 pounds of mostly fat. I think my brother referred to me as a "dough boy". I barely made it out of the reception battalion and in to the actual basic training. BCT does a great job of purging your body of all the fat and weakness. I was about as out of shape as you could be. I was prior service in the Air Force, but hadn't really done any physical activity for 3 years after I left the AF. You can help yourself by getting ahead of the game on knowing what you need for a passing PT score. If you are even more motivated you can find out what you need for a 300 and start working toward that. Not many people in my BCT was able to get a 300 on their PT test, but there is no better place to practice and achieve it.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Mar 21 at 2016 8:03 AM

2016-03-21T08:03:41-04:00

Older?

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2016 9:43 AM

2016-03-21T09:43:05-04:00

Zachary S. I graduated from BCT at 31, I was pretty much invisible to my DS. I didn't bring any fun for them, I didn't get in troubles, I was mature enough to understand what was going on and I was older than my Senior DS. Now, 25 is not that old, you may not have the same luck I had.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Mar 21 at 2016 9:52 AM

2016-03-21T09:52:00-04:00

I enlisted (Infantry by choice) at age...36! Yeah, 36. Luckily for me I was in fairly good shape for my age; although there were struggles.
The young ones may look up to you for general life lessons and the perspective that come with it, but for the most part you and them will be viewing your new world with the same set of wide-eyes. The Drill Sergeants will cut you NO slack. Even if they may have personal sympathy for you at your age, they cannot and will not give older recruits special treatment; most of the time you will not need special treatment anyway, so you're not missing anything.
Sidebar: I was older than all of my DSs!
Just understand that your age buys you nothing special other than perhaps some aches and pains that take a bit longer to go away than it does the guy next to you. Prepare yourself mentally and physically. And lastly, as I say to any new recruit, when you arrive for your basic training, check your ego at the door; you can pick up an even bigger one once you graduate.
Good luck.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Mar 21 at 2016 10:15 AM

2016-03-21T10:15:25-04:00

Zak As others have said... you will not likely be the oldest, and in any case will only see a negative difference if you allow it, cause it.. Your going to be a new SM in training. Every thing allies, nothing taken away.
I had a few "cadet to enlisted" SM's in my platoons while on the trail, and a lot of "older" ones as well.
The only thing I ever expected form them , not automatically of the others is a somewhat elevated level of maturity. If they also came with a greater sense of work ethic, leadership traits or experience.. great, darn sure you will receive performance punishment....lol.. meaning if you do well, expect to be handed more to do well. It'll keep you busy and time will go by faster.
Also except to be asked WHY. why are you there as an indentured enlisted SM. No need to be any more graphic or specific then you are comfortable with .. but anticipate the question so you can have a polite, professional, respectful answer. I can tell you "None of your business Drill Sergeant" will not go over well. But as little as "DS, School didn't work out, and I needed to do the right thing for what I promised in return for collage assistance" will suffice.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2016 10:32 AM

2016-03-21T10:32:41-04:00

25 is not too old. I enlisted at age 31 and I was the oldest in my training Company. I would just suggest you should train to be able to do at least 70 pushps, 70 situps and run the 2 mile, 8 laps on the track in 14 minutes or faster. I ran it in 12 minutes back then and I got 270 out of 300 on my army APFT back then. I was a cross-country runner in high school and community college so I had the running mindset already. Work up to running for half an hour on your own at a slow or moderate pace.

The better you do on the PT test, the less the drill sergeants will mess with you and if they try to discipline you for dumb things by making you 'drop' or hold your pushup position, it will be fun instead of painful and it will frustrate them! I went in as an E-4 and because I did ok on the run, I was given additional duties of organizing the PT scores for my 2 drill sergeants.

If you have a college degree in the active component, you can still be an officer. In the Army Reserve the max age, last time I checked, for a commission was 32 years 6 months. It is 35 years old in the Army National Guard. I became an Officer at 33 years 9 months. I am 53 years old now and I have my 20 year letter since last year. Don't consider 25 years old to be to old!

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Mar 21 at 2016 10:37 AM

2016-03-21T10:37:50-04:00

You will meet those older than 25 serving alongside you that may very well be lower ranking than you. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you were 30+, you may expect to be dorm chief or something of the like. (Not always the case.)

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2016 7:28 PM

2016-03-22T19:28:44-04:00

I was 30 when I came in, just do your best to out do the younger guys. You'll still probably have people older than you there.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 25 at 2016 8:34 PM

2016-03-25T20:34:21-04:00

I was 24 when I went through OTS, most of the guys were 21 through. Our leader was a former Msgt. Had to be at least 30 or 35.

None of us had any problems.

Response by SFC James Himes made Mar 25 at 2016 9:17 PM

2016-03-25T21:17:55-04:00

Hate to brag but my kid went into the Corps at 27 and really smoked most of the other 18 and 19 yr olds. Granted he was a little more mature and he had prepared himself for what he was about to go under. In most cases the younger guys looked up to him and respected him. The "drills" did put it to him a little more but quickly backed off after he proved himself. You don't say what branch so my recommend is be physically fit. Don't act better then the rest just because your older and don't expect any special favors either. You'll just be another 'cruit.... just a little older.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 7 at 2016 12:52 AM

2016-04-07T00:52:19-04:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyJwQvbTWZM

I'm old not obsolete - Arnold Schwarzenegger

From Terminator Genisys

Response by A1C Alvin Quackenbush made Apr 18 at 2019 11:13 AM

2019-04-18T11:13:28-04:00

In 1997 I went in 26 in Air Force. I had problems with my age through BMT. They TI and squadron treated me lot different cause of it. If you have strong will and hard on self you can survive but remember body don't heal quick.
Make sure can iron fold bed and shine shoes and have a squadron to use it's strengths instead of individuality

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2019 10:44 AM

2019-06-07T10:44:24-04:00

It's not really hard. You just make your bed real neat and remember to stand up straight and always answer every question with "Yes, drill sergeant."

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 20 at 2019 4:04 PM

2019-07-20T16:04:42-04:00

You are good to go!

Response by SSG Kenneth Ponder made Mar 31 at 2020 12:55 PM

2020-03-31T12:55:24-04:00

Keep your mouth shut, go for it