Do you believe all active soldiers should have the benifits of all citizens 21+?

Question

This is a bill proposal I am currently working on that would give any military personnel (18-20yr.) the rights of any U.S. citizen of the age 21+. These rights would include:
1. The right to legally carry a concealed personal firearm off base.
2. The right to go to clubs
3. The right to go to casinos
4. The right to drink.

Some people believe that U.S. Military personnel already have these rights, however that is not true. In the 1960's MADD passed a bill stating that all military bases must "follow the law of the land". Therefore you can’t drink under the age of 21. Also only in a few states at the age of 21 are you allowed to carry a concealed firearm at age 21. And since most clubs and casinos serve alcohol anyone under 21 is not allowed in. I believe that the people fighting for our rights deserve our rights. Please give me your input on my "proposal” I already have a local House of Representative behind me, however I need to get a few more before a bill will be written

Answer 1

If you are old enough to take a bullet for your country...you are old enough to have a beer or a shot of whiskey.

Nuff Said!

Answer 2

Military personnel can drink regardless of age, depending on a base commanders prerogative. In Japan, the vending machines in the barracks had beer in them, anyone in the barracks could drink, plus the drinking/purchasing age in Japan is 20, yet military members of any age were allowed to buy and drink alcohol on the bases. Most US bases go by state law to avoid problems. Your Idea might be well wishing, but those of us in the military know it is a bad Idea. Young military members (under 21) can be just as careless or reckless as civilians that age... Why does an 18 year old need a concealed firearm? Casinos... HA my battalion in Japan had the HIGHEST bounced check rate of any Marine unit in 1994, imagine if they could gamble their paychecks away... can you say gamblers anonymous? There are clubs on bases all military members can get in, and those off base? bad idea, can you say DUI? Being in the military does not absolve you of making mistakes and 21 is the age in America because those under 21 are not (in general) considered mature enough to handle those things.

Answer 3

i think 20 should be the legal drinking age. 18 is too young because you are either still in high school or just out of high school, and are partying with high school friends who can't drink and will want you to buy them liquor! but at the same time i think if high school kids were allowed to drink they would be less likely to overdo it when they did drink... but at the same time american kids have less responsibilities then kids in countries where the drinking age is lower, americans are adolescents for longer! BUT ANYWAY... back to whole military thing, i think 18 year olds should be allowed to drink on base! The military is different from civilian laws and if everything on a military base is not going to follow the laws of the land 18 year olds about to be deployed to fight for their country should at least be able to take a whiskey shot before possibly taking a gun shot! 18 year olds in the military are going to be more mature because they have more responsibility, and maybe even off base with a military ID... yeah actually i think its a good idea military people can drink and go to clubs as long as they present a military ID... the only problem is bouncers and bartneders knowing the difference between the ID of an active duty person, and the ID of the kid of someone on active duty... because they have military ID's too!

Answer 4

I want to say, "yes." I really do. It doesn't make sense that someone who can die for their country can't drink a beer in it. I just can't because I have seen how young military guys (aged 18-21) act when they drink and when they go out on the club scene. The fact that it is against the law doesn't stop most of them from doing it, anyhow, but the few that it does deter are worth deterring.

We can't legislate a "right to go to clubs." They are private establishments, and while we can make it permissible for those 18+ to enter a club we can't make it a "right."

States should have the right to determine drinking ages and gambling ages, but my opinion is that 21 is a pretty good number.

As for the firearm issue, I'm with you. Some of the most responsible gun owners are military members. Allowing weapons to be carried by people who know how use them safely and effectively will save lives.

Answer 5

You ha vent presented all your 'research',..[obviously]
why didn't you mention that bases have clubs..?
why didn't you mention that all duty guard personnel patrol 'armed'..?
why didn't you mention that drinking statistics have had and still have relative bearing on military protocol and safety concerns..?

I am confident that what codes of conduct ..and codes of military procedures there are today, are as liberal as the situations will allow. Moral is one of the top considerations of all the branches of military service, and the thought that a youth in uniform being armed, intoxicated, and expected to instantly morf into a responsible adult when he takes the oath is asking the impossible..
I am 100 percent in admiration of any young man or woman who by choice takes the military oath, but i do not believe such a choice has any bearing on there immaturity, or there decision making processes as young individual.... there are justifiable reasons why the drinking age, the weapons laws , and the social laws are in place.

Answer 6

First of all, MADD did not exist in the 1960s. The things you list in your question are not rights, they are privileges. I am a disabled vet and when I served I had all the 'rights' granted by the constitution. It sounds like you are an underage member of the military. I was once there, but rest assured, you will soon grow up and be able to drink, gamble and carry a firearm.

Answer 7

I find it funny that you can kill people at 18 in a war and be in porn movies or pictures doing the some of the most nasty things ever. But you can't have a beer. So funny! Not really funny but i mean... it realyl makes you think ya know?

So to the question. Yes I do. The Age shoudl be 18 for all like in Canada!

Answer 8

i dont think that in the states the they need to carry a firearm, but the other stuff is OK, but most of the soldiers are drinking before 21, i was. all i did was show my military ID card and i was served. in more then one way lol

Answer 9

Absolutely! This is a no brainer. You put your life on the line for your country you should be able to drink a beer, gamble and own a weapon provided you do it responsibly. There will be a few who try to screw it up for the rest but most military people at that age are in a different place mentally from their peers.

Answer 10

this happened after the Viet Nam war. the soldiers who fought were 18+ and couldn't drink at that age, but fought the fact that they could die for their country but not drink.. they passed a law and the drinking age was lowered to 18.. then deaths of 18 y/o went up.. but in my opinion if they can die for this country they should have all rights granted to everyone else.

Answer 11

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