Veteran's Voice: Monte Gould

59-year-old Monte Gould wants to re-enlist in the Army.

At first he was told no, but now he will be heading to basic training soon.

Leah Pezzetti reporting.

AGE ISN'T GOING TO STOP HIMFROM JOINING THE MILITARY.ON THIS WEEK'S VETERAN'S VOICE- 13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER LEAHPEZZETTIINTRODUCES YOU TO A MANWHO HAS ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGEOF GOING THROUGH BASIC TRAINING-- EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN'TQUITE FIT THE USUAL MOLD.PKG PKG AT THIS LAS VEGAS ARMYRECRUITING CENTER TYPINGNATS DAVID CAROLL SAYS HE HAS ATYPICAL TYPE OF PERSON WHO SITSIN HIS RECRUITING CHAIR.I WOULD SAY ABOUT 17-30 WOULDBE THE AVERAGE AGE RANGE WEHAVE COMING THROUGH HERE ANDWHILE HE ENJOYS HELPING THOSEYOUNG ADULTS SERVE CAROLLALSO LIKES A CHALLENGE.EVERYONE HERE IN PROVIDENCEOFFICE WILL TELL YOU I'M THEPACKET GUY.I WORK THE MORE DIFFICULTCASES.THE ONES THAT ARE HARD THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DOTHATARE A LOT OF EXTRA WORK.SO WHEN A NEW CHALLENGEPRESENTED ITSELF HE JUMPED.BEING 58 YEARS OLD, 59, COMINGBACK IN IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'SNORMAL AT ALL.IT'S VERY RARE.MONTE GOULD IS 59 AND WANTED TOJOIN THE ARMY.SO THE FIRST DETERMINATION WASMONTE JOINED THE MARINES IN1978 - THESE PHOTOS SHOWING HISFIRST ENLISTMENT.OH IT'S AMAZING, IT'S A LITTLEKID HE THEN WENT BACK INDESERT STORM IN THE EARLY 90S -THIS TIME JOINING THE ARMY.THEN THIS IS ME IN AFGHANISTANIN TOTAL - HE'S PUT IN ALMOST18 YEARS AND NOW WANTS TOMAKE IT TO 20 - A MILESTONETHAT ENSURES BENEFITS AND PRIDEFOR LIFE.ALSO - MORE TIME WITH HIS SON -WHO IS CURRENTLY IN A LAS VEGASUNIT.WE GET TO BE IN THE SAME UNIT,DRILL TOGETHER AND SHARE THISEXPERIENCE TOGETHER FOR ACOUPLE YEARS BUT MONTE RAN INTOROADBLOCKS.I TOLD HIM THE REAL FIGHT ISN'TGOING TO BE PASSING THEPHYSICAL, THE REAL FIGHT ISGOING TO BE OUR BATTLE TRYINGTO GET YOU IN THROUGH THEREGULATION BECAUSE ITSAYSMULTIPLE THINGS INDIFFERENT PLACES SOME PLACESSAID RETIREMENT IS 60 - OTHERS62 - CREATING AN UPHILL BATTLE- THAT MONTE REFUSED TO GIVE UPON.NO IT BECAME A PERSONAL MISSIONAT THAT POINT, I WAS NOT GOINGTO QUIT.NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT, NEVER.IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT IWAS GOING TO GIVE THIS UPBECAUSE ITJUST BECAME APERSONAL MISSION.THEY ARGUED THEIR CASE TO THEHIGHEST LEVELS IN THE ARMY -FINALLY FINDING A LOOPHOLE.IF YOU ARE BETWEEN CERTAINAGES, I BELIEVE IT WAS BETWEEN56 AND 59, YOU CAN JOIN THESELECT RESERVES TO BE ABLE TORETIRE AT 20 YEARS BEFORE THEAGE OF 62 SO MONTE IS HEADINGBACK TO GET HIS 20 YEARSWITH ONE FINAL SURPRISEOBSTACLE TO OVERCOME.AND RIGHT BEFORE I'M GETTINGREADY TO SIGN THE CONTRACT THEGUY LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS BY THEWAY YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TOBASIC TRAINING, I SAID DUDE I'M59.I'VE BEEN THROUGHBASICTRAINING.I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS,WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE.HE IS REQUIRED AND HE'S NOTSURE WHAT TO EXPECT - BUTMONTE IS READY FOR ANYTHING.THEY'LL EITHER THRASH ME ANDI'LL SUCK IT UP, OR I'LL MAKEIT THROUGH.SO ITS ALL GOOD ONE WAY ORANOTHERMONTE IS HEADING TO BASICTRAINING THIS JUNE IN SOUTHCAROLINA.