Have you ever been the oldest person of your platoon and not be an NCO? Did you experience any career progression challenges because of it?

2016-02-07T12:53:38-05:00

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 1:04 PM

2016-02-07T13:04:24-05:00

I was out for 6 years. Was a Cpl in the Marines. Now a Soc in the Guard. My pltsgt ang I are the same age. We are the oldest. My only problem is I wanna choke my NCO's sometimes for dumb shit they should know better than too do.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 1:07 PM

2016-02-07T13:07:14-05:00

Joined at 31, 3 years older than my DS 1SG Private RallyPoint Member. Just made SPC at 33, there's just another SPC older than me in the BN. Challenges, of course, but our maturity shows off. We have to stand out, being ahead in any possible of our peers.
Our age won't take away promotion points or our accomplishments. Take advantage of your experience and be conscious that there's no need of rank to be a leader.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Feb 7 at 2016 1:51 PM

2016-02-07T13:51:17-05:00

I was almost always the oldest when I was Active Duty-even in Basic (I was even older than my drill sergeants). I wouldn't say it hampered my career progression from lower enlisted to NCO, but there was some bias against old guys like me going up the chain of command; not as much from my peers though. Once I went into the Reserve however, it was a different ball game and there were plenty of others even older than myself; some older and lower ranking to boot.

Response by SPC James Dollins made Feb 7 at 2016 2:41 PM

2016-02-07T14:41:41-05:00

For my whole year in Korea, I was the oldest Private in our company. Granted, the company was less than 40 deep. Ha Ha!

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 3:45 PM

2016-02-07T15:45:48-05:00

Ya I enlisted in the Marines at 22 not that old really. But took a 3 year break and joined the guard now I am 30 yr old spc. In military years I am old as hell. Believe me I feel it in my knees and back. But I out perform a lot of the guys younger than me right out of basic.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 4:14 PM

2016-02-07T16:14:36-05:00

I was 28 when I joined in 2000. I was the oldest with the exception of my PSG who was 30. Being older was not a problem as the young NCO's would ask my advice on things. I made E-7 in 11 years from a lil ol private E1. So for me I had no challenges that slowed my progression. I worked hard, had great leadership great soldiers and always continued to learn from seniors, peers and my subordinates.

Response by SPC Edward Robinson made Feb 7 at 2016 7:56 PM

2016-02-07T19:56:49-05:00

When I first went in the Army in 1969 I was the youngest one during Basic, AIT and when I was assigned to my Unit in Kaiserslautern, Germany at Kleber Kaserne in 1970 was still the youngest one.
Never been the oldest until now days in my sixties and I have another forty years to go. My aunt told me once you are only as old as you think you are. I intend to keep hunting during hunting season and process my meat. Nothing like fresh venison, elk or American Bison.
I have had mangers and others younger then me never had a problem with them. If they showed me respect they got my respect.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 11:14 PM

2016-02-07T23:14:45-05:00

I'm a 32 SPC and have seen E7's who were a year younger than me. In the military, there's nothing wrong with being a little older than those who hold hiring than you. Regardless of your age, we are old soldiers, something that many in this country cannot say. Is it somewhat embarrassing to be a little bit older than those who are higher rank than you, yes, but you still need to be proud of them and keep confident that one day you will become an NCO. God knows I made some mistakes in the first half of my career, but I had made up for those tenfold. However, the penalty I have paid just watching others younger than me climb the ranks while I remain a specialist. But that will change soon enough. Keep going strong and prove that you are a great soldier. At the end of the day, that is all we signed up for, regardless of age and rank.

Response by SPC Bobby Coble made Feb 8 at 2016 8:49 AM

2016-02-08T08:49:09-05:00

I'm 42 right now, and I'm working to try to get back in the Guard. I've been out long enough to have to go through Basic and AIT again. That should be interesting.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2016 8:55 AM

2016-02-08T08:55:06-05:00

I have not just do your best and your leadership will see that you are ready to be a leader

Response by SSG John Caples made Feb 8 at 2016 9:17 AM

2016-02-08T09:17:32-05:00

Yes , I was always even my 1SGT, were younger than me, accept 2 soldiers in my plt. they were the same age as I was, when I went Regular Army in 99, it did not change my way of thinking , preforming and doing my duty, as a soldier and a leader. I was the same as every one else, I just had more I wanted to prove, that this old man could hang, with the best of them, and once I got into shape which took me awhile I preformed my duties.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2016 11:39 AM

2016-02-08T11:39:30-05:00

I was the oldest at BCT at 35. I really enjoyed being older. Made many friends of more mature younger soldiers and mentored less mature soldiers. Since being at my unit, I feel I get a bit more respect than my SPC peers due to my age, maturity and drive. I decided to commission, so I start OCS this month. We will see if the same experience will carry over to the officer job

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2016 11:23 PM

2016-02-08T23:23:43-05:00

I was 27 when I enlisted, 28 when I graduated AIT & am 29 as a specialist. I don't believe it sets you back at all but as many have previously said, puts you in a great position to showcase your leadership skills that you've required elsewhere prior to enlisting. I have been a leader since I was in basic; I've had DS's assign me leadership roles, OIC's put me in charge, etc. Does it sometimes get frustrating when there's an officer a solid 5 years younger than you that you now have to address as sir or man? Absolutely but that's the army way. I do love impressing the other junior enlists when it comes to PT, they don't expect a "mom" can out perform them

Response by SPC Gabriel Bregg made Feb 9 at 2016 12:29 PM

2016-02-09T12:29:41-05:00

When I deployed, I think my platoon sergeant was the only person in the company older than me, inckuding the CO and 1SG. I joined in '06 at 33. The only thing I noticed was that I got left alone the whole time as far as health& welfare inspections and never got questioned as to what my plans for any given weekend were. It was pretty nice.

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2016 2:02 PM

2016-02-09T14:02:20-05:00

hahaha, when I relisted in the Army after the Corps, I was 22 and an E-3, they called me Pops. That is up until I smoked 95% of the platoon on the confidence course, obstacle course and their 1 mile run in the '70's. You're older and wiser and should be living up to your age. If your performance is that of younger SPC, then you're right where you belong. Isn't a SPC an E-4? Aren't E-4's the equivalent of a Corporal? I knew plenty of SPC filling NCO/E-4 slots and doing damn well.. Ten again in the 70's they had SPC4, SPC5 and SPC6. MOstr MOS's back then didn't rate a "hard stripe" corporal except Artillery

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 9 at 2016 8:27 PM

2016-02-09T20:27:27-05:00

I just enlisted into the reserves at 36. I'm the oldest of the non maintenance MOS's in the headquarters company, the battalion CSM is my age. There is a fifty year old mechanic E-4. She's got all of us beat.

Response by SPC Christopher Perrien made Feb 13 at 2016 10:09 PM

2016-02-13T22:09:51-05:00

LOL, Challanges??? LOL . Fort Polk Dco , 5/77 ArBn, One day a week all our NCO's had to go to class.
I was ranking Spec4 as I turned down the Board several times, so I ended up with about 20 privates and a few other E-4' one day a week. We could get all the shit done in a couple of hours without r 40-50 sergeants down there trying to lead too few indians.

It was no challenge , for a day a week I was Top, and I got what the real Top wanted done in half the time things took on regular days. And the other half of the time the enlisted I was incharge of got to hang out in the barracks watching porn or going to the PX whatever , and at the end of the day they would all be there for final formation, TOP had check everything and everything needed to have been done got done. No sgts involved. That rating system introduced in about 198(IIRC8 had turned them all into pussies only worried their next eval score. A ranking Spec had no such reservations. :)

Response by SPC William Biles made Mar 1 at 2016 1:05 AM

2016-03-01T01:05:30-05:00

Ha! I joined at 31 years old. I was almost the oldest one in my company at each of my duty stations.
I entered as an E3. I found I fell through the gaps a lot because they all considered me the old man.. but on the same hand was the respected elder. Funny to think back almost 20 years and realize how wrong everyone was about me being old. Ha!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 22 at 2016 6:39 PM

2016-03-22T18:39:37-04:00

I joined at 36 and now 42. Being older has its advantages and disadvantages. For most part your already mentally trained, don't need a babysitter 24/7 or mommy to wipe your butt for you. Seniors like that. However, being older can be physically challenging at first until you train your body to do it. Also because your older and usually more responsible your senior looks to you to be the mommy/daddy of the group and keep the younger sm's in line. I actually love it. I love helping my guys. Have to say only thing I really don't like about being older is really have no one to hang out with or chat with. People closer to your age is your seniors so can't hang out with them and the soldiers within your ranks is old enough to be your kid.