The Ageless Call to Serve: Rethinking Military Service for a Changing World

Finalist, 2024 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Awards

“Defying age barriers, Dr. Snodgrass joined as a soldier at 63, shifting from psychiatrist to trailblazer in military thinking. In The Ageless Call to Serve he champions the seasoned battlefield, advocating for wisdom over youth in warfare. This thought-provoking narrative traverses military readiness, policy evolution, and the psychological impacts of deploying teenagers into conflict.” ― Robert J. Schneider, Lieutenant Colonel, USA (Ret.), former Director of Research, Department of Military Psychiatry

An 18-year-old in the United States is still barred from buying alcohol, acquiring a pilot’s license, or stepping into a casino. Yet, astonishingly, they can be enlisted in the military, trained in weapon handling, and deployed to a war zone. On the other side of the age spectrum, individuals over 39, regardless of their skills or experience, often encounter insurmountable obstacles to enlistment.

Break this mold and meet Lanny Snodgrass, who, at the age of 63, became the oldest American to join the Army and complete officer basic training. It was 2003, the Iraq War had just started, and the Pentagon, grappling with a severe shortage of military doctors, momentarily relaxed age requirements. Recognizing an opportunity, Dr. Snodgrass stepped in to serve.

With around four decades of experience treating veterans and active-duty military personnel, many teenagers grappling with psychiatric illnesses such as PTSD, depression, and suicidality, Dr. Snodgrass bears unique insight into the perils of sending young soldiers to war. He has seen firsthand the walking wounded, those who have served in multiple deployments and are often on the brink of despair.

This book represents a culmination of these experiences. As a late-joining physician and one of the leading experts on PTSD, Dr. Snodgrass poses critical questions about the limits of service and whether these age constraints should be maintained or relaxed. He scrutinizes the age limits on military service, addressing the antiquated criteria that have remained largely unchanged for over a century. If we continue to send our young to war while overlooking the potential of older, willing Americans, tragic consequences will persist. It’s not an overstatement, then, to say that The Ageless Call to Serve presents a life-and-death proposition on how to build a more resilient, professional military force.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Ralph S. Smith, Jr., Brigadier General, USAF, (Ret.), MD, Psychiatrist
Preface. The Road Not Taken

1. Civilian To Soldier In Two Weeks
2. Age and Its Relationship to Military Service
3. Why Are There Still Age Limits In the Military?
4. The Price We Pay For Sending Teenagers To War
5. The Burden of Stress
6. Centralizing the Military Health Service
7. Psychiatric Treatments for Military Casualties
8. Raising Age Limits in The Military
9. Impact of Technology—A Reimagined Military With No Age Barriers
10. Socio-economic Impact of Military Service—Is Service the Best Option For Those Who Cannot Afford College?
11. Family Support – The Impact Families Have on Service, Both Successful and Unsuccessful
12. Resilience Training
13. Judgment in Nuremberg

Dr. Lanny Snodgrass, a renowned psychiatrist, has left an indelible mark in academia and clinical practice across multiple states. A respected figure in his field. His extensive medical practice spans Arizona, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Washington.
Earning his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Oregon in 1977, he pursued further medical studies and received his M.D. from the Autonomous University in 1980, followed by residency training at Menninger’s and UCLA. His professional distinctions underscore his proficiency in psychotherapy, psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry, certified by the esteemed American Board of Medical Psychotherapists and the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology.

His service to the military has been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Army Achievement Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Superior Service Award Department of Defense, U.S. Army.
An expert in PTSD and military psychiatry, Dr. Snodgrass is also adept in biofeedback, stress management, and clinical applications of hypnosis. His cross-cultural study of non-verbal communication also stands testament to his comprehensive approach. His scholarly contributions have been widely published in distinguished medical journals, and his insights have been shared through over 50 presentations at international conferences and symposia, reinforcing his status as a respected global voice in psychiatry.