Newest Army recruits: the over-35 crowd

"A few years ago, we had a marathon runner with a master's degree who spoke Russian, and he wanted to join the Army," says Mr. Hilferty. "We said no because he was 40. Where is the sense in that?"

The Army says it has not lowered its overall physical and character standards to meet the new age limit, though the branch already divides physical standards by age group. All older recruits so far have been assigned to rear-echelon jobs, such as supply and finance clerks. Dilling will repair small arms.

But critics say adding older recruits is a sign of desperation for the Army – and a condemnation of the war effort from broader American society.

"It's true that people are living longer and people with more experience are needed, but let's face it: This initiative is about people from the normal demographic group not signing up in the midst of an unpopular war," says Loren Thompson, a military expert at the Lexington Institute in Washington.

Dilling's age has made basic training difficult. His knees have bothered him – enough that he had to spend some time on crutches. But last week, the crutches were gone, he looked slim, and he appeared to quietly lead a small unit of younger men through the paces of the challenge course. Retired Army Lt. Col. Jim Hinnant, now a spokesman for Fort Jackson, calls Dilling "a study in determination."

Dilling has made an impact on Alpha Company's 4th Platoon, 1st Battalion, 13th Infantry Regiment, his superiors say. Sure, he gets some jive for his age, but when he struggled through his first qualifying run, a gaggle of soldiers joined him on the track, urging him on.

"You look at someone like Pfc. Dilling, you can see by his demeanor that he's a father, that he's lived life already," says Sgt. Jarvis Pendleton, Dilling's drill sergeant. "It's a ... different picture from some of the younger people we get."

Dilling married young and started a family, even as he says he daydreamed about the soldier's life. His wife said no to the vicissitudes of a military marriage. By the time Dilling recovered from their eventual divorce, he was too old for the Army.

Or so he thought. Earlier this year, a cousin sent him a notice about the Army's decision to raise the age. He contacted his son's recruiter, who signed him up. He arrived at Fort Jackson in late July, only a few hours before his 42nd birthday. His son was already there, and sent him encouraging notes: "The same kind of advice I used to give him," says Dilling.

He's determined to make it. "Everybody said it was going to be 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical, but it's the opposite for me," he says. "It's the physical stuff that gets me. If you've ever had a wife who yelled at you, dealing with a drill instructor is no big deal."

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