The United States Military has served as a source of pride for our country for centuries. However, anyone who wishes to apply for service must meet some basic requirements before joining. Serving in the military is not considered a right but a privilege of enlistees who meet those requirements; seven U.S. Supreme Court rulings proved that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which ensures
. legal equality for all in employment, does not apply to the military.In order to qualify for military service, applicants must prove that they are 17 years of age or older. Each branch of the military has a maximum age; the Army's is 35, the Air Force's is 27, the navy's is 34, the Marines' is 28 and the Coast Guard's is 27. To join the Reserves, the Army Reserves' maximum age is 35, the Army National Guard's is 35, the Air Force Reserve's is 34, the Air Force Reserve's is 34, the Air National Guard's is 40 and the Naval Reserves' is 39. In addition, all applicants must prove that they are citizens of the United States or legal permanent immigrants with a green card.The Military does background checks on all applicants to check their credit ratings and financial histories, especially on jobs that require security clearances. For married couples, spouses of military members can enlist without a waiver if they have no children, but they cannot guarantee stationing together. Since September 20, 2011, the military has allowed gay and lesbian enlistees to disclose their sexual orientation and continue to serve but same-sex couples are ineligible to receive benefits while the Defense of Marriage Act is still federal law. Each branch of the military has its own standards regarding the height and weight of applicants. The military does not allow drug use at all and criminal offenses can make applicants ineligible to enlist. Most positions require applicants to have at least a high school diploma or GED. More reference links: http://www.us-army-info.com/pages/enlist.html http://www.military.com/Recruiting/Content/0,13898,rec_step04_questions_army,,00.html
