Grandmother, 87, declines Army enlistment invite

By GRETEL C. KOVACH
The Dallas Morning News, Sunday, January 15, 2006

She hasn't done a pushup in ages. But that didn't keep Uncle Sam from offering Lillye England up to $20,000 to join the Army.

The hitch: She's 87.

England, a west Oak Cliff grandmother, received a personalized invitation from the U.S. Army Recruiting Command this week to learn more about a career as a soldier.

"They want me to join the Army, how about that?" England said. "You suppose that could be a mistake?"

Uh, yeah. This from Douglas Smith, a spokesman for the recruiting command, based at Fort Knox, Ky.: "There's such a large direct mail campaign for all of the services. Names of people who aren't eligible to enlist are sometimes included."

As a girl, England used to blast away with a rifle at the gophers near the family farm in North Dakota.

But given her hearing aid and osteoarthritis, not to mention her age, she wouldn't be eligible to enlist. Beginning next week, the Army is raising its maximum age for enlistees from 34 to 40.

Waivers for age and medical ailments sometimes are granted.

"But the person has to be able to perform the duties of a soldier," Smith said.

England's daughter, Jonnie, thought her mother could use the $20,000 maximum signing bonus given to some recruits and the Army medical care.

"Those are pretty awesome benefits, especially for someone who is 87," she said.

England will still get a bonus - a free knit cap with Army logo for returning the information card. But she's not interested in becoming a soldier.

"I don't think the military would have me," she said. "I just cannot get up early in the morning."