Australia
17 years of age for voluntary military service (with
parental consent); no conscription; women allowed to serve in Army
combat units in non-combat support roles (2008)
Austria
18-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
of age for male or female voluntary service; service obligation 7
months of training, followed by an 8-year reserve obligation (2006)
Azerbaijan
men between 18 and 35 are liable for military service; 18
years of age for voluntary military service; length of military
service is 18 months and 12 months for university graduates (2006)
Bahamas, The
18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2008)
Bahrain
17 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of
age for NCOs, technicians, and cadets; no conscription (2008)
Bangladesh
16 years of age for voluntary military service; 17 years
of age for officers (both with parental consent); conscription
legally possible in emergency, but has never been implemented (2008)
Barbados
18 years of age for voluntary military service (younger
requires parental consent); no conscription (2008)
Belarus
18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;
conscript service obligation - 18 months (2005)
Belgium
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
suspended (2008)
Belize
18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow
for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription
has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available
positions by 3:1 (2008)