WASHINGTON—Continuing its longstanding commitment to honor veterans, military and their families, AARP today released a new documentary spotlighting a service member’s journey to enlist in the military for a third time and complete boot camp 43 years after his first basic training in 1978. At 59 years old, Staff Sgt. Monte Gould finished in the top 10% of his training cycle and is now the oldest individual to complete the current version of basic training.

The documentary highlights Gould’s motivation to reenlist in the Army, despite having had such a long military career already, and his experience in basic training for a second time—this time as an older adult. This Veterans Day, his story challenges stereotypes and redefines aging, even as it’s just one of the countless stories of those 50 plus, including AARP members, who have served their country and are pushing new boundaries during the pandemic. To watch the documentary, go to www.youtube.com/aarp.  

"It felt fantastic to wear the uniform again and represent my nation and be part of the team,” said Staff Sgt. Monte Gould. “It's great to be back in the organization with my brothers and sisters in uniform serving our nation and just being in something bigger than yourself."

To continue to honor and support those who have served during National Veterans and Military Families Month, AARP is providing free career resources to all veterans, military personnel and their families that focus on their skills and experience as opposed to their age.

“AARP recognizes and honors the service and sacrifices made by our nation’s veterans, active duty military and their families,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer. “Today, because of the coronavirus pandemic, many are facing tremendous economic challenges. AARP is committed to offering programs to support them as they learn new skills and seek employment in this challenging environment. By helping America’s heroes succeed in their careers as they transition from active duty to civilian life, we are serving them as they served our country.”

AARP’s career resources include:

• AARP Job Board: Offers customized search filters for the veteran community via its ‘veterans wanted’ search filter. This feature serves up employers who are actively searching for veterans. Some employers even use a ‘Veterans Wanted’ badge on their job postings to show their commitment to hiring veterans.
• AARP Resume Advisor^SM: Helps translate military experience for the civilian workforce with a free resume review. Veterans can receive objective feedback on how their resume communicates their skills and expertise and personalized recommendations to make it stand out.

Also, on Nov. 17, 7:00 p.m. ET, AARP will host a free webinar, “Rethinking Work for Veterans, Military and Their Families,” designed to help the community find new jobs or manage their careers through resume guidance, tips from veteran-friendly employers and resources to help start small businesses. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3mXUkWm.

To learn more about how AARP serves veterans, military and their families, as well as its additional community resources, visit www.aarp.org/veterans.

# # #

About AARP

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.