should the dreaking age be lowered to 18, if they are in the military?

Answer 1

The drinking age for military personnel is not determined by the Base Commander or the Department of Defense. They are required to follow the state mandated drinking age. I retired from the Navy and spent many years in various states. California at one time would serve 3.2 beer only to anyone 18 - 21. Virginia you had to be 21 to drink if I am not mistaken. I believe they were similar to California with 3.2 beer.
South Carolina you must be 21 to drink period. I believe anyone old enough to serve should be old enough to have a beer, however it is not that easy. The individual states determined their own drinking age, along with certain days where you cannot legally purchase any alcohol.
Maybe instead of worrying so much about our young people having a beer at 18, we should concentrate on stopping some of the wars we are getting involved in. I served in Vietnam and then served on active duty during Opertion Desert Shield and Desert Storm, watching my wife's Reserve Unit be called to active duty and sent overseas for 9 months. During this time, I never touched a drop of alcohol, as I had a young son that needed me to take care of him.
We need to place others before ourselves, I found out the hard way many times before I quit drinking. Not divorces, but many family arguments, and coming close to losing many friends and my self respect.
Also, who is going to control the younger people who could maybe drink legally from supplying younger people yet, which we all know is still happening. South Dakota had 12 teens die this year so far from alcohol related crashes. All but one was the driver. They were all underage and a few had either just graduated or were to graduate in the coming weeks.
Think about it, it is not worth it.

Answer 2

After reading Norman Schwarzkopf's autobiography, the part where he talks about the lack of problems from the troops stationed in Saudi where there was no alcohol, makes me think we ought to have the military go dry. Of course, then we would really have recruitment problems.

After six years as an NCO I think 21 year olds are too young to drink. The problem is the frequency that drinking is all that there is for the troops to do. No, I'm pretty firmly against lowering the drinking age. Improve the entertainment for all of the troops instead.

Answer 3

Why does it matter. The answer is no. But if say, you were in the Navy and you are 18...when you go underway or on a deployment, you are in other countries where the drinking age is 18 or less. But it is up to your ship too. If they choose to keep the age at 21, then that is what it is. You dont wanna get caught disobeying a rule like that either. Capatins mast is no fun.

Answer 4

well...that would open up another can of worms. What about those who graduate from high school at 17 and join the military right after. They could be be sent off to war just as easily. The other reasoning that it may boost recruitment from the first answer.....that should not even be a selling point of the Military. So...my answer is No absolutely not.

Answer 5

Yes. I've been in now for 9 years and I'm 28. They are still thinking about doing it. Mainly doing it on posts, that would control most problems. I think if you are old enough to go to war, you should be allowed to at least have a beer.
In countries that allow a younger drinking age, like Germany, military members can drink there. They should at least make it allowed to be done on post. Soldiers won't have to go too far, and the environment there is fairly well controlled. Other soldiers would be there to watch your back. Besides that, I think it would be a nice boost for recruitment.

Answer 6

DoD is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the Government relating directly to National Security and Military Affairs. Alcohol abuse and dependence are incompatible with National Security and military readiness, performance, and discipline.

The DoD supports the achievement and maintenance of optimal health status for individuals and populations, encourages healthy lifestyle choices, and is committed to the prevention of alcohol consumption by underage military personnel and other beneficiary groups for whom we are responsible.

Responsibility is earned. Drinking should not be encouraged under any circumstances!

Answer 7

I joined when I was 17. I would go to the club with my friends but could not drink. I feel if you are in the Military then you should be able to drink in a military club.You can take it from here.

Answer 8

Here at Ft Bliss TX. they do allow you to drink on post at the age of 18, because the Army tries to discourage the Soldiers from going across the border to Mexico....Its allot of fun partying in Juarez Mex. but It is also dangerous.

Answer 9

My dad grow to be interior the Air tension for 22 years. He and that i've got been discussing this the different day. He reported that if the eating age have been diminished, it would be only for energetic accountability infantrymen that are 18 and up. (some infantrymen enlist at 17.) He reported that way, that's barely a suited for people who're fairly struggling with for their usa. and that they could could prepare their protection tension id to purchase it. regrettably, 18 3 hundred and sixty 5 days olds are no longer mature adequate to have the duty of being waiting to drink. they could be paying for it for lots youthful babies (possibly junior severe/center college pupils). we could have greater inebriated using injuries and inebriated drivers killing people. of direction, the government could make greater money off of arresting inebriated drivers and giving them heavy fines. there are various problems with it. yet i think that infantrymen could be allowed to drink, in the event that they're sufficiently previous to combat. i do no longer think of civilians that are 18 could get an identical privilege as those enlisted interior the protection tension to drink. that's yet yet another incentive to combat to your usa. EDIT: protection tension provider isn't obligatory, and that's no longer a draft. They opt for to connect, even however they're youthful.

Answer 10

There are some posts around the borders of Canada and Mexico that do allow it on post. This way the soliders are close to home and they can just walk. If that option wasnt there then it is to easy to go across the border get drunk and then try to come back...