Age requirement question regarding SMC's

If you've seen my other post, you know I'm looking at various SMC's. My question is, due to the Military regulations, why is it that SMC's are more restrictive on their age requirements than the various branches themselves?

I've been looking into becoming an EMT and quite possibly taking it all the way up the paramedic route. As I will be graduating H.S at the age of 19, I'm most likely taking a 2-3 year gap before I apply/start my Freshman yr of College to do the Medical training and get work experience. As such, am I then only limited to regular NROTC? As I haven't seen any college [SMC] (yet- albeit I'm still looking) that's taking applications from those 23 or older.

As I said, I'm still looking....but in any event, am I very limited in which way I'm able to go due to my current plans?

Thanks for any and all of your help!

you may find a SMC that will waive the age thing but you need to look ahead and think if you want to do that at age 23.
you will find yourself being in the charge of a 19 year old sophomore platoon leader.
they have age limits for a reason. they know what works and what doesn't
contact the SMCs and ask, I am sure you are not the first with this plan

If your honest goal is to become an officer in the military, why would you spend a couple years getting paramedic training, only to go through ROTC, commission, and never use your training again?

Seems you might want to think a little harder on your career goals.

AJC said:

you may find a SMC that will waive the age thing but you need to look ahead and think if you want to do that at age 23.
you will find yourself being in the charge of a 19 year old sophomore platoon leader.
they have age limits for a reason. they know what works and what doesn't
contact the SMCs and ask, I am sure you are not the first with this plan

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Alright, will do.

Jcc123 said:

If your honest goal is to become an officer in the military, why would you spend a couple years getting paramedic training, only to go through ROTC, commission, and never use your training again?

Seems you might want to think a little harder on your career goals.

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Well, I would be an EMT first and foremost and then move onto Paramedic training. So it's not like I'd be training for all this time and not using the skills learned whatsoever.

As for why would I be going through all of this? Well, I would like to have some work experience not only to be able to put on a resume, but also I would like to have more leadership experience (or the chance at it, at least) under my belt as I think it'd better me in the long run. As for your last sentence, I've done that and have been doing that for the past few years- each thorough thought process has led me to the same conclusion of the track that I want to take. From getting that work experience to (hopefully) attending an SMC and commissioning to hopefully getting the MOS that I want after TBS, etc....

Well, it sounds like you're thinking through things. It may be that you have to sacrifice some details of your plan in order to achieve your overall goals. If you find yourself bumping up against the age barrier at an SMC, any college with ROTC will get you where you want to go in the same amount of time. Best of luck to you.

Jcc123 said:

Well, it sounds like you're thinking through things. It may be that you have to sacrifice some details of your plan in order to achieve your overall goals. If you find yourself bumping up against the age barrier at an SMC, any college with ROTC will get you where you want to go in the same amount of time. Best of luck to you.

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Quite possibly, you might be right. And I want to apologize if how I worded my reply above sounded condescending or "snarky", as that's not my intent. I appreciate the advice greatly and I'll keep looking around at everything and see if I need to alter any of my plans or anything of the sort. Thanks!

No worries. Good luck!

I remember hearing at Norwich there are (or were) Cadets that served with the Northfield VT life squad.

Lot's to think about. Here is the deal, at least from my old age (60 last week) experience. Dude, you'll change, things change. Follow what you want to do. I was a volunteer firefighter and an EMT while in high school. Thought I wanted to be a doctor. Organic Chemistry and mathematics, well, they had different ideas about my future. Ain't a doc. Been a cop, ain't one now. You are still in high school if memory serves - and sometimes it don't. Have some plans, but, that said, lighten up on yourself. Now, if you want to in the armed forces and an officer, I'd put off the EMT and paramedic stuff. Now it is fun, and challenging, and rewarding (emotionally if not financially) but as somebody who has picked up folks in a couple of different states, and worked in emergency rooms - leadership training it isn't. Moreover, and this is from someone who hasn't been in the military, I really don't think they will care about your ability as an EMT 1, or 1, or 3, or what paramedic level you are - they have medics for that sort of thing. If you want to be an officer - be one. Now, lots of plans change, finances change - life is messy and unpredictable. Love the medics I worked with, wouldn't trade the life experiences I got from it for the world - but it didn't provide me with a lot of leadership experience - and nobody cared about it when I became a cop, or when I did other things. Now, you said TBS, if memory serves (same caveat) that means "The Basic School" That's a Marine Corps thing, and the Navy does their medical stuff. That leads me to believe it is unlikely you'd make a lot of use of being an EMT or Paramedic as a Marine Officer. Now, if you want to be in one of the medical service corps in the Army, or Navy, or Air Force - I don't know, maybe it would help - I just don't know. Good luck, and again, good to ask questions, get ideas and perspectives.

Hey OP, I'm a 4th Classman at VMI, one of my BRs is 22. Additionally, VMI will pay for EMT-B training and you can be an EMT for the Corps as well as run calls in town once you get some experience.

VMI2017+3 said:

Hey OP, I'm a 4th Classman at VMI, one of my BRs is 22. Additionally, VMI will pay for EMT-B training and you can be an EMT for the Corps as well as run calls in town once you get some experience.

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Outstanding info which is very helpful!