When joining the Army there are specific age, citizenship, academic, physical and legal qualifications that you must meet first! To qualify for enlistment into the Army, you need these minimum requirements.
Age Requirements
You must be between the the ages of 17 and 35 (unless you have prior U.S. military service, or a specialized professional skill, such as a chaplain, lawyer or certain medical specialties). If you are under age 18, you must obtain the consent of your parent or legal guardian. You can read more about the age requirements for joining the Army and about specific job requirements.
Citizenship Requirements
You must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, or a legal permanent resident alien (Green Card) to enlist in the Army. People considered to be aliens who have been lawfully and permanently admitted to the United States and requested permanent residence may enlist BUT with limitations. Nationals of the United States, such as the American Samoa, people who were born in the 50 United States including the commonwealths, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia and people born abroad on a military installation, or born abroad of U.S. parents who were citizens at the time, are eligible for enlistment. Read more about other Army citizenship requirements.
Education Requirements
You must be either currently in high school or have a high school diploma or GED. If you do not meet this requirement, There are programs that can help. While a high school diploma is most desirable, candidates with a GED can enlist but it may limit some opportunities. Read more about other Army education requirements.
Physical Requirements and Medical Requirements
Certain tests will be preformed to verify that you meet the physical requirements of the Army. In addition to making sure you are in generally good health, with no disqualifying conditions, you will also be required to pass a drug screening test. Read more on the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). The Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) is a battery of four events used to assess a recruit’s capabilities to engage in physically demanding Army training.
Height and Weight Requirements
There are weight and height requirements to make sure you are in shape for joining the Army! Read more on the Army height and weight requirements.
ASVAB Requirements
You must also obtain a minimum qualifying score on the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery exam (ASVAB). The score for the Army typically needs to be a 31 or better although rare exceptions are made. Read more about why the ASVAB is important.
Background Requirements
A criminal record may disqualify you from military service. If you have a criminal record you need to talk to a recruiter in order to evaluate your particular situation.
*Not all the enlistment criteria are shown here; contact your recruiter for exact details.