Alan Ritchson has a message for anyone calling him “too old” to play an Army Ranger: take it up with the Army. The War Machine actor pushed back on online criticism by pointing to a recent change in U.S. Army enlistment rules.
After trolls questioned his casting in the Netflix film, including his portrayal of a soldier in RASP (Ranger Assessment and Selection Program), Ritchson noted that the military recently raised its maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42, undercutting claims that he’s aged out of the role.
Wearing a black baseball cap and gold chain, Ritchson clapped back in the video:
"Well, guess what? The U.S. just raised the enlistment age to what? 42! Yeah, 'War Machine prophetic now!"
On March 20, the Army confirmed in a revised Army Regulation 601-210 that the maximum enlistment age will increase to 42, effective April 20. Previously, the cap was 35 for the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve. The minimum age remains 18, or 17 with parental permission.
The shift is aimed at attracting recruits in their late 30s and early 40s with prior technical or leadership experience—what the Army has described as an “older labor market.” It also marks the second time in 20 years the cap has been raised to 42, with the last instance occurring in 2006 during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Ritchson didn’t stop at the policy update as written in his caption:
"What you have to complain about now!? Old people for the win!"
You can view the Instagram post here:
In War Machine, Ritchson stars alongside Dennis Quaid and Jai Courtney, but much of the conversation has unfolded off-screen. Early criticism centered on his casting has begun to lose traction as his response—and the policy behind it—circulates more widely.
You can view the action-packed trailer below:
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As of March 2026, War Machine, directed by Patrick Hughes, holds a 69% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, with audience ratings in the mid-to-low 70s. The response reflects a divided reception, as echoed across social media, with some viewers taking issue with the film’s tone while others have rallied behind Ritchson’s rebuttal.
You can view the reactions here:
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Ritchson has also been in the news following footage published by TMZ that appears to show the actor in an altercation with a neighbor. The video shows Ritchson in a physical exchange with another man while two children sit nearby on motorbikes.
According to sources cited in the report, Ritchson did not initiate the confrontation and was allegedly pushed off his bike twice before the fight was recorded. The report also says the neighbor told police a struggle occurred, during which Ritchson allegedly struck him in the back of the head.
Ritchson is set to appear in the action thriller The Runner, Amazon’s untitled Navy SEAL project, and Motor City, continuing his run in action-heavy roles.
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