Is it possible that a 57-year-old Australian Army officer be deployed to Afghanistan, combat operations ?

In australia the compulsory retirement age is 55 yrs. All personnal must retire at the age of 55 yrs regardless. You can though opt to serve an additional 5 years in the reserves, which will take you up to the age of 60 when you must retire from the ADF reserve duty. For 5 years after an ADF discharge you can be recalled to serve overseas and whilst serving in the reserves you can also be called upon to serve on deployment overseas. So yes it is possible that this person could be deployed to Afghanistan at any time up to the age of 60 so long as he meets all the physical and health requirements and only if there is not current serving member of the ADF which can fullfill that role and rank at the time of the deployment.

I am not going to look up Australia's enlistment requirements but if you look at ours it is very possible.

I know that the Army will let you stay in up to 60 as long as you do not exceed 30 years doing that. Many Reserve and Guard units have guy's that old. It happens by break in service years, joining at an older age, leaving and coming back. I saw a "prior service" write up on the Army's site stating you could re-up up to 59 as long as you could complete 20 years service by your 60th b-day. It's also possible that the Guard and Reserve allow some time beyond 60.

SSG US Army 73-82

You can call the military attache at the Australian Embassy in Washington and inquire about that. I don't know how stretched the "Diggers" are in Afghanistan. I only know that most of them are Special Air Service (SAS) and 57 seems a bit long in the tooth for such a posting.

I met more than a few 57-year-old soldiers in Iraq.

are you in the army.. and on active duty? if your not in the army im pretty sure he was pulling your leg.. most countries stop drafting after the after of 35

Well, if ya couldn't, wouldn't that make you more than ready for retirement?