There isn't one single "oldest person in the army" globally, as records vary and include active, retired, and veteran status, but notable figures include Sergeant Major Luhembwe Alfani (DR Congo, 102+ years, 78 years service as of late 2025) and Lt. General René Claude Meka (Cameroon, 86 years old as of late 2025, active). In the U.S., while not currently serving, Richard Overton was the oldest verified WWII veteran, and historically John de Barth Walbach served into his 90s in the U.S. Army.
10 U.S. Code § 8321: Commissioned officers with at least 40 years of service shall be retired upon their request.
Age limits
The normal retirement age for reserve soldiers has been increased from 55 to 60, to match the terms for officers. Anyone who follows our Talkback letters page will know the age disparity in the outgoing policy was a persistent bone of contention for reserve personnel.
Army Rangers The Army age range for joining and attending Ranger selection and Ranger School is 17-34. Waivers are available on a case-by-case basis for Ranger School, but to be a part of the 75th Ranger Regiment, there is no age waiver process for its candidates.
Living legends from the Greatest Generation
As of September 30, 2023, more than 100,000 WWII Veterans are still living, including about 6,000 women. Their median age is 98 years old. Approximately 5,000 of surviving WWII Veterans also served in the Korean War and/or Vietnam Era.
WW2 soldiers carried condoms primarily for disease prevention (STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea) and for practical combat uses, such as keeping sand and mud out of their rifle barrels, protecting small items, or even as makeshift waterproof bags, although the weapon-protection use is sometimes exaggerated in popular culture. The military distributed them widely (often in "prophylactic kits") to maintain troop strength, recognizing the significant manpower lost to venereal diseases in past conflicts.
63 years on, Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat still guards the Indo-China border — not in flesh, but in spirit. A legend, a sentinel, an immortal.
With careful planning, $750,000 can last 25 to 30 years or more in retirement. Your actual results will depend on how much you spend, how your investments perform, and whether you have other income.
Lawyer: The 10/10 rule means at least 10 years of marriage during at least 10 years of military service creditable toward retirement eligibility. [2] You have to qualify for 10/10 rule compliance in order for the monthly payments to Julietta to come from the government, and not from you writing a monthly check to her.
How much should you have saved by 40? Financial experts often use retirement savings benchmarks to determine whether someone is on track. A common guideline is to have two to three times your salary saved by age 40. That means if you earn $50,000 per year, a $100,000 401(k) balance is on the low end of the target.
Despite his remarkably young age, the six year old Seryozha Aleshkov was recruited into the Soviet Red Army as a soldier by his adoptive father Commander Mikhail Vorobych, and Seryozha Aleshkov became the youngest known soldier, at just six years old.
At 56 years old, Roosevelt was the oldest man deployed in the landings. Commanding the 8th Infantry Regiment and the 70th Tank Battalion, he was one of the first to land on Utah Beach. Armed only with a pistol and his walking cane, he carried out reconnaissance and began directing his forces under heavy enemy fire.
'Bad' girls have always known how to look after themselves. Barrier methods were always very popular. A halved, emptied lemon skin placed over the cervix worked well, for example, as did sponges soaked in natural spermicides such as vinegar.
The Bible literally has zero to say on condoms.
By the end of the war, approximately 7,000 of the 10,500 SIS staff were female. These women on the home front contributed to the Allied victory by successfully breaking codes and deciphering enemy messages. The women cryptologists were held to strict secrecy and would become one of the best-kept secrets of WWII.
There are only a tiny number of D-Day veterans alive today
As of 2023, across the world, there are estimated to be a few thousand D-Day veterans still alive today.
Most surviving World War II veterans are now in their late 90s or have reached 100 years old. The youngest veterans who could have served would have been born around 1927, making them at least 97 years old today. The majority of survivors were born between 1920-1925, placing them well into their centenarian years.
Calvin Graham. Calvin Leon Graham (April 3, 1930 – November 6, 1992) was the youngest U.S. serviceman to serve and fight during World War II and was one of the few known child soldiers to fight on behalf of the United States in the conflict.
Training to become a Green Beret is significantly more difficult. Active soldiers wanting to join the Special Forces must complete at least three years of service with the Army before applying and have reached the rank of E-3 – or private first class.
“Breaking the Barrier: Captain Kristen Griest and Ranger School Glory” In 2015, Captain Kristen Griest made history by becoming one of the first two women to graduate from the U.S. Army Ranger School, one of the most grueling military training programs in the world.
Hair length
Women in the Army don't have to cut their hair. You can have any hair length if it is worn up, but it cannot be longer than six inches from the top of the collar while in a braid or ponytail. If worn down, your hair should not extend beyond the lower edge of your collar when standing up straight in uniform.