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Enlistment rules: Army

Those who want to join the Army must be at least 17 years old and not have reached their 42nd birthday. Most applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent, though a small number of non-high-school graduates are allowed to enlist. Enlistees must pass a physical exam, meet moral eligibility requirements and qualify on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. An enlistee’s score on the ASVAB test determines which Military Occupational Specialties he or she can apply for. Women are not allowed to serve in combat specialties.

A change in Army policy now allows recruits to have tasteful, nonoffensive tattoos on their hands and neck, and allows qualified applicants who don’t meet Army weight standards to join through the Assessment of Recruit Motivation and Strength program.

The Army offers various enlistment options, including the Buddy Team Enlistment Option, which allows two non-prior service applicants from the same area who join the Army at the same time to stay together through basic training and advanced individual training. They also will be assigned to the same duty station for at least 12 months. Other options include the Army Civilian Acquired Skills program, which gives applicants who have prior training, education or experience the ability to enlist as an E-4 and use their civilian skills in the Army.

Enlistees who sign up for at least two years of service in the active Army can earn up to $40,000 in enlistment bonuses.

New soldiers can earn bonuses according to their levels of education, how quickly they ship to basic training and their military occupational specialty. Recruits typically earn an average of $7,000 in enlistment bonuses.

Also, soldiers already in the service can earn up to $2,000 for referring to the Army someone who enlists and completes basic training and advanced individual training.

For more information on enlisting in the Army, visit:

• The Army’s enlistment Web site, www.goarmy.com.

• AR 601-210, the Army’s regulation on active and reserve enlistment, www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r601_210.pdf.

• The Web site for Army Recruiting Command, www.usarec.army.mil.

• Information on the Army’s referral program, www.usarec.army.mil/hq/apa/download/$2k%2011-06.pdf.