I am wondering If anyone can tall me the age a person could go in the Military in

[bjwill72961]

1966 my brother was in Army? We are doing our genealogy and just found out our brother was born in April 1950. But We know he was in alot of trouble would not go to school, had ran away several times, and was told to either go to jail or go to the Army. But my brother said it is non of our business. I know he was in the Army and went to Vietnam was there during peacetime.

 

[George S]

1966 wasn't peace time. That was the big buildup. I was in then. People could join at 17 with parental consent. They could join at 18 without. Draft registration was at 18. I was drafted at 20 in 1965, during the start of the buildup.

I recall things didn't get really hot and heavy until 1967. The body bags were coming back pretty regular by then. I helped bury a couple.

 

[davide405]

This may not have been true in 1966, but it was true when I was in the Army.

The minimum age for enlistment was 17 years of age, and to enlist at that age required the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

If an individual enlisted prior to the age of 17 years, or was 17 but had forged the consent forms, it was considered a fraudulent enlistment.

HOWEVER, if such a fraudulent enlistment went undiscovered by the Army until the person had attained the age of 18, it automatically converted to a legitimate enlistment and became fully binding upon the person who had enlisted.

Example:

Imagine the case of a person who enlisted at age 16 years and 9 months by claiming to be 17 years and 9 months. Even if they had a parental consent form, this would have been a fraudulent enlistment, because they would have misrepresented their age.

At any time prior to their actual 18th birthday, they could escape the remainder of their enlistment by admitting the fraud. However, if they waited until the day after their 18th birthday, they would be obliged to complete the term of their enlistment.