Isnt it stupid how you cant have alcohol until 18 but can join the armed forces at 16?

Question

Well you cant go to a pub then

You know what i mean

Im from the UK

No you can enlist at 16, check the RAF website if you want, here ill give you a link; http://www.raf.mod.uk/careers/jobs/rafregimentgunner.cfm

Answer 1

That's a good question, and I'll give you a serious and respectful answer.

The U.S. Army recently did a survey and found that roughly 73% of American teenagers aren't eligible to join the U.S. Army. They are either to fat, to stupid, dropped out of school, have drug problems, medical problems, have arrest records, etc. In short they just could not cut it in uniform and the Army does not want them. NOT every teen can join the Armed Forces... you have to do a lot more than be 16 and breathing.

So your question is sort of mixing apples and oranges.

Yes there is a small percentage of older teens that are mature and trustworthy enough that they can be trusted with the responsibility of joining the military. It is only logical that someone who can be trusted with an automatic weapon or a nuclear warhead could also be trusted with a beer or a gin and tonic. But that is only about 1 out of every 4 teens, the best of the best.

Just because SOME teens are that mature and responsible it does not follow logically that ALL teens are that mature. In fact the Army study showed that for every mature and trustworthy teen there are 3 who are NOT up to snuff.

The vast majority of teens are, in fact, not able to handle drinking. This was proven in the U.S. back when the drinking age in several states was lowered to 18, using exactly the same argument you are makin g here. The main result was a lot more drunk driving deaths.

So in order to cut down on the number of teen DWI crashes, the drinking age went back to 21. This was unfair to the 25% percent of teens that probably could have handled legally drinking, but it kept the 75% who had shown they could not handle it from killing themselves, their passengers, and the occasional innocent bystander.

Answer 2

I thought the same thing when I first enlisted. But now I dont care since I am 21, and I dont want the drinking age lowered for military personnel because I had to wait. Alot of states in the US actually wont let you buy smokes until you are 19, military or not! Oh well, we defend the the constitution and the laws of the country, so why should we break them huh?

Answer 3

Yeah, it is pretty stupid...

I joined at 23, so it doesnt affect me personally at all, but i still think that if your old enough to handle service to your country, there shouldn't be anyone telling you can't handle alcohol.

On a side note, why do we deny people under 18 rights such as smoking, drinking and voting... yet when they break laws, we try them in court as adults "because they're old enough to know right from wrong"? Can you honestly tell me a person of any age who understands the idea of homicide and all its repercussions, doesn't understand a cigarette??

Answer 4

In the UK I believe it is 16.

Either way its stupid. If you can vote at 18, enter the military at 18, be tried as an adult at 18, you should be able to drink at 18.

Every other social measurement says you're an adult at 18 besides drinking.

Same situation in the UK, different ages.

Answer 5

A very proper question. One you should forward to an opposition back bencher and have him propose during Prime Minister's Question Time. I would love to see it when our C-Span cable channel broadcasts it, just to see how much of a "bureaucratic tango" the MOD and the PM will engage in at the dispatch box in the Commons.
P.S.: I'm a native-born American and a life-long Anglophile.

Answer 6

You can join the armed forces at 17

Answer 7

i dont know where you are from but in the unitedstates a person who is 18 can join that armed forces and buy cigarettes but they can not buy alcohol till they are 21.
and in some states you cant even get a drivers liences till you are 18, 16 year olds can only get a permit.

Answer 8

In the US Army, you can enlist at 17, and you CAN buy and drink alcohol from on base.

Answer 9

Yeah... I called that Bush on a stick.

Answer 10

Yeah. I understand what your trying to say.