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Military Workers, Officers

Certification, Licensing, and Special Requirements

Certification or Licensing

The military does not offer certification or licensing for many jobs that require these credentials in the civilian sector. If you train in the military for a certain job and plan to transfer skills to an equivalent job in the civilian sector, find out first what additional training and/or certification or licensing is needed in the civilian workforce.

Other Requirements

All military branches require U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status (green card). To enter the Army, Navy, and Air Force, you must be at least 17 years of age. The maximum age to enter the Army is 35; the Navy, 41; the Air Force, 42; the Coast Guard, 41; and the Marine Corps, 28. (The maximum age limit is subject to change depending on such factors as the nature of the military service and the demand for recruitment.) You also cannot have a criminal record. Height, weight, and vision standards vary by military branch.