extend the age for application to the US Public Health Service. The current age cutoff is discriminatory and ageist.

Currently, the United States Public Health Service does not accept applicants over the age of 44 years of age. As a highly qualified Nurse Practitioner over the age of 44, I feel that the exclusion of persons over the age of 44 is not only ageist and discriminatory, but is short-sighted. While there are, undoubtedly, many excellent NP's and other professionals of younger age, the best practitioners are those who have both years of experience in life and practice and can extend their expertise. America must realize that the citizens in their 40's, 50's and 60's and even 70's still have much to give to the economy and that we will have to extend retirement ages, and accept the financial realities of the need for later retirement ages in order to remain a viable world power.