The ageless call to serve : rethinking military service for a changing world / Lanny Snodgrass.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Snodgrass, Lanny, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Military service, Voluntary.

Age and employment.

Vocational qualifications.

United States--Armed Forces--Recruiting, enlistment, etc.

United States.

Physical Description:

x, 214 pages, [8] pages of plates : illustrations (color) ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Havertown, PA ; Barnsley : CASEMATE, [2024]

Summary:

"An 18-year-old in the United States is still barred from buying alcohol, acquiring a pilot's license, or stepping into a casino. Yet, astonishingly, they can be enlisted in the military, trained in weapon handling, and deployed to a war zone. On the other side of the age spectrum, individuals over 39, regardless of their skills or experience, often encounter insurmountable obstacles to enlistment. Break this mold and meet Lanny Snodgrass, who, at the age of 63, became the oldest American to join the Army and complete officer basic training. It was 2003, the Iraq War had just started, and the Pentagon, grappling with a severe shortage of military doctors, momentarily relaxed age requirements. Recognizing an opportunity, Dr. Snodgrass stepped in to serve. As a late-joining physician and one of the leading experts on PTSD, Dr. Snodgrass poses critical questions about the limits of service and whether these age constraints should be maintained or relaxed. He scrutinizes the age limits on military service, addressing the antiquated criteria that have remained largely unchanged for over a century. If we continue to send our young to war while overlooking the potential of older, willing Americans, tragic consequences will persist. It's not an overstatement, then, to say that The Ageless Call to Serve presents a life-and-death proposition on how to build a more resilient, professional military force."

Notes:

Includes bibliography and index.

ISBN:

9781636244174

1636244173

OCLC:

1450347490

Publisher Number:

90101420387