Air Force Raises Age Limit for Recruits to 42
www.airandspaceforces.com | Oct. 27, 2023 | David Roza

The Department of the Air Force expects to add about 50 more recruits per year after lifting its maximum age limit for initial accession from 39 years old to 42 on Oct. 24, the latest in a long series of efforts to expand the talent pool in the midst of an ongoing recruiting shortage. The change applies to both officers and enlisted in both the Air Force and Space Force …

The new age limit is the latest in a series of changes made by the Air Force over the last few years to usher in new members. Giving qualified applicants an option to retest if they test positive for marijuana use allowed about 165 Airmen to join in fiscal year 2023, while allowing small hand and neck tattoos brought in another 150. Updating the service’s body fat composition rules brought in another 700 recruits, and streamlining the process for trainees to become citizens upon graduating Basic Military Training brought in 200 new Airmen.