The US Army has raised its maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42, with the updated regulation taking effect on 20 April and applying to the Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard. The change also removes the requirement for a waiver for individuals with a single conviction for marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia. The move comes after the Army missed its recruitment targets by roughly 23–25 percent in 2022 and 2023 and has fallen short of Army Reserve goals for six consecutive years, with officials pointing to labour market shifts, obesity, drug use, and declining interest among young people as contributing factors.