Ava
Can I go talk to a army recruiter at 14 years old.
I have a ton of questions to ask about the army to a recruiter. I want to talk to someone about it before high school before I really make it my goal. I want to have a plan before going into a journey that half way through the starting process decide it’s not for me. I really want to talk to a recruiter but is 8th grade and 14 years old to young? Will they give me a chance? #military #future #onestepahead #army #recruiter #armyrecruiter
3 answers
Jacob Schwarber, CPA
Jacob’s Answer
Hi, Ava,
While it is good that you are so enthusiastic gathering information, I'd recommend waiting a couple of years before you actually talk to a recruiter. Do some more research on your own - talk to people who have actually served (like me) and, if you are still interested after a couple of years of doing fact finding, then consider talking to a recruiter. Again, you don't need all of the answers now. Take a step back and keep an open mind.
Don't hesitate to reach out if you have more questions.
Kathleen Connolly
Kathleen’s Answer
It's great that you're thinking about your future at such a young age! A career in the military can provide a lot of opportunities to develop your leadership skills, jump-start your career, or earn a degree without putting yourself into debt.
Are you currently enrolled in public high school? If so, I recommend contacting your guidance counselor to discuss your options. They likely have a recruiter contact they can connect you with. Plus, they can help facilitate a discussion with you and your parents to discuss your interest in serving.
In the meantime, I recommend connecting with other people in the service through social media or chat-boards. Reddit is a great resource for this. You can find different communities there where you can interact with others in the service.
The largest for the Army can be accessed through this link: https://www.reddit.com/r/army/
This community also has a Weekly Question Thread where you can ask anything about army life or the recruitment process:
https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/ghk7qn/weekly_question_thread_511_to_517/
You have some time to do your research. Don't be afraid to ask questions!
Best of luck,
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
You are wise to think ahead. I don't know if they will talk to you unless you bring a parent with you. You are young, but since you are thinking about this, I want to remind you that recruiters are sales people. They are trained to tell you what you want to hear, to a degree. As an example, when my brother enlisted in the Navy, his test scores were one or two points too low to get into computers. They told him, "don't worry about that, they will waive it when you get to Florida." So he went in under some general category -with no promised position at all. He spent two years scraping paint and stuff like that. So, you need to be careful. Even if you have a promised position, things can change,
All of that being said, the military gives you a great chance for top notch training, along with formal education, plus travel. It instills a sense of leadership that is lacking in many young people. Unless you make it a career, it's only for a few years.
I recommend you call the recruiter and see what their policy is about talking to people your age. You never know unless you try!
Kim