If you are under 26, you are required to register within 30 days of the entering the U.S., or before you turn 26. The federal law that can be manipulated in a case by case basis states that the minimum age for enlistment in the United States military is 17 (with parental consent) and 18 (without parental consent). I guess it depends on how the need is. Selective Service exempts you from a draft if you are 26 years old. Though you technically can join the military up to age 42, if you're 35 or over you'll need an age waiver if you've never been in the military before. If you are 31 or older, no SIL is required. The supplemental draft is for those whose eligibility has changed since the draft. My dad was drafted in 1942 at 31 years old. There is no draft now. This is based on age and, more specifically, birth date. Every branch of the military has age limits, from the Coast Guard to the National Guard, and most of them come to a halt before age 35. The Selective Service System (SSS) is an independent agency of the United States government that maintains information on those potentially subject to military conscription (i.e. Adding to what has been offered previously- Prior to the lottery system, you were in the pool from ages 18–26, unless you obtained a deferment. Normally, military recruiters prepare and forward age waiver requests, with a yes-or-no recommendation for prospective recruits exceeding enlistment or commissioning age limits. My last draft card listed me as 4Y, too old for the draft when I hit 26. 5. Although the draft of many on men and women and is highly improbable, there are still many of those who worry that they will be drafted into the military. Speak to a recruiter of the branch you're interested in for the most up-to-date guidelines and hidden loopholes, as rules change all the time. Can I get drafted? These answers are technically true, however they don't account for all drafts, only the big ones. The maximum age is 35. Every year there are many people who worry that they will be drafted into the U.S. Military. Apply for the supplemental draft in July, if you do not earn a spot. At that time the age priority may be juggled so as to focus draft calls among the 19-year-old group. Learn More. You only need a Status Information Letter (SIL) if you did not register and are between the age of 26 and 31. Within the 18 to 25 year old age group, the Selective Service maintains a certain order in which eligible draftees will be called. However, there are ways to enter the military when you're 35 or older. During the draft, you can also network with personnel and negotiate for a spot on a team's training roster. Any shift to 19-year-olds as the “prime group” will lessen draft pressures on men who pass through age 19 without being drafted, even though students would be dropped back to the prime group regard-less of actual age, when their deferments end. 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