Soldier, 55, about to graduate from combat basic training

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | May 28, 2014 | By Carolyn Jones

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Old soldiers never die, they just do more sit-ups.

Just ask Sgt. 1st Class John Taffe of Alameda. At age 55, he can do more sit-ups - and push-ups, and barbed-wire maneuvers - than most people half his age. He graduates Thursday from combat basic training in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, one of the oldest soldiers to ever do so.

"When I left for Missouri, my 15-year-old son said, 'Dad, I hope the Army knocks you off your high horse.' Now I can tell him, 'Nope. It just made me stronger,' " Taffe said Wednesday.

To make it through the grueling 2 1/2-month training, Taffe ran up to 5 miles a day, did 40-50 pull-ups, 150 sit-ups and practiced hand-to-hand combat techniques that left him bloodied and bruised.

Perhaps most difficult, he was forced to give up coffee and beer.

[Thumper1960]

Out performing kids one third his age?
LOL I will BET his presence was a morale booster! Made the kids want to keep up with Gramps!
Good for the Sgt.!

[2ndDivisionVet]

I found BCT at Fort Leonard Wood demanding at 18. Now? No way.

[T-Bird45]

What a collection of SanFran a-holes in the comments section of that article!!

[a fool in paradise]

(file photo)

[Mercat]

Mr. Mercat, early 70s, will begin his bike ride across the state a week from Friday. He and 1000 of his best friends will average up to 70 miles a day for 7 days.

[centurion316]

If a 55-year old can successfully complete basic training, then basic training has been dumbed down to irrelevance. Just do it by online and mail it in.

[GeronL]

bump

[Michael.SF.]

I did not see how to access the comments?

[nascarnation]

I’m sure you’re right because the 55 yr old record for the marathon is 2:25 and every soldier under 25 can beat that, right?

[onona]

I’m sure you’re right because the 55 yr old record for the marathon is 2:25 and every soldier under 25 can beat that, right?

Shirley, you jest !

My AF basic was a breeze then, and it would be a breeze now. SAC Trained Killer here !

[luvbach1]

Since when are 55-year-olds accepted into Army basic training?

[nascarnation]

Yes my post was sarcasm to the max, LOL

[Future Snake Eater]

To make it through the grueling 2 1/2-month training, Taffe ran up to 5 miles a day, did 40-50 pull-ups, 150 sit-ups and practiced hand-to-hand combat techniques that left him bloodied and bruised.

Joke's on him--the Army doesn't care about pull-ups!

[Future Snake Eater]

Since when are 55-year-olds accepted into Army basic training?

First rule of the Army: everything's waiverable.

[Gay State Conservative]

I was lucky to make it through BCT at 19.

[gaijin]

The impetus for giving up his comfortable life by the bay was mostly financial. He and his wife were going over the family's budget last year and saw the cost of college tuition for their two teenagers looming before them. Taffe had already spent 14 years with the Navy, and by adding another six years with the reserves he could greatly increase his benefits, he said.

He's also deeply patriotic, and enjoyed his previous stints in the military and as a government security contractor overseas.

"I wanted to re-enlist after 9/11, but my boss at the time said, 'No, no and no,' " he said. "So this was something I've wanted to do for a long time."

The Army does not have age requirements to enlist, but those over age 55 need a waiver and everone must pass certain physical requirements. Taffe was 54 when he enrolled, missing the waiver requirement by just a few hours.

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If the Prez were not a black LIBERAL, HOW do you think a San Fran paper would have reported this...?

Remember when he was first elected and the Press CONGRADULATED Obama for the high unemployment, and the way he was HELPING FAMLIES SPEND MORE TIME TOGETHER...?!!?!

TOTALLY DISGUSTED.

KUDOS to him, though....

[lonevoice]

"When I left for Missouri, my 15-year-old son said, 'Dad, I hope the Army knocks you off your high horse.'

Nice. Maybe part of Dad's incentive was to have some time away from his disrespectful brat of a kid.

[GeronL]

true

[SnuffaBolshevik]

"I found BCT at Fort Leonard Wood demanding at 18."

I did AIT at FLW in the winter of 74-75.

I'll never forget a guard duty I pulled from 0200-0400. Snow to my knees and a bitter cold that I'd never experienced in the Mid-Atlantic. No one shooting at me but still glad that it's in the rear view mirror.