In the military and drinking at 18?

Question

I think that if an 18 year old that wants to go in to the miliary and fight for his country and put his life on the line, he/she should be able to drink. We will give them a gun but we wont let him drink? What do you think?

Answer 1

Personally I think if we define 18 as the age of majority, then an 18 year-old should have all rights, privileges, and responsibilities of any adult. I think it is ridiculous that a person can be prosecuted as an adult for the crime of being a minor in possession of alcohol. Whether or not a person is in the military, at the age of 18 they are considered an adult, and accountable for their action under the law. It is silly to say that 18 year-olds are responsible enough to sign contracts, vote, join the military, be charged as adults in criminal court, but are not responsible enough to consume alcohol. Either adulthood begins at 18 or it doesn't. If law makers want to change the drinking age they should be forced to change the voting age and the age of majority as well. I doubt very many people would support such legislation.

As it stands now, service members must obey the laws of whatever country they are in. Which means in countries without a drinking age they can drink if they want to.

Answer 2

NO more bases allow drinking legally under the age of 18. There was only one base that allowed drinking for 18 years old and that was a base in Texas but they have now raised that limit to legal age of 21. You can't drink in the barracks or the clubs on post under the age of 21 legally.

I don't believe they should. It is a law for a reason. Why is it that people think that under 21 should be drinking.

I agree with Krum, lets only give them so much responsiblity at a time. Let them learn to be a soldier first and deal with that. The army changes a person and if you add beer and alcohol to that, that is just danger waiting to happen.

Answer 3

Regardless of what the others are saying, on an army post within the US, you must be 21 years of age to buy and/or possess alcoholic beverages - any type. The law changed back in the late 80's sometime shortly after I first came in. In other countries except for most middle eastern ones, you can drink legally - Korea, Germany, etc. I never agreed with it but had to enforce it as an NCO. I agree with those who say that if you can fight and die for your country, you should be able to drink.

Answer 4

I have always heard the rumors of being able to drink at 18 on base. Out of five state-side bases (US) I have been stationed at, none have made that exception. They have always followed local laws. Back when a few states such as Louisiana had a drinking age of 18, the bases there did also. Louisiana finally went where the highway funds were (going to the states with a drinking age of 21)

Answer 5

Well, you can drink at 18 - just not in the United States. So...... get yourself stationed in any other country and drink as much as you like and whenever you like.

Edit: To the "thumbs down" respondent: Sorry to burst your bubble but I travel all over the world and the only places where this is an issue are in the USA and in Islamic nations.
Where may I ask have you been?

Edit: Gordon H: I too have bee drinking as a 13 or 14 year old and am not an alcoholic. I remember being in a restaurant with my parents at age 14 having a Screwdriver (Vodka & Orange) and it was just not an issue.

Answer 6

I was a Marine, and lord knows Marines like to drink. If you let and 18 year old drink, then he or she has a likely chance of being an alchoholic, if he or she gets sent to war, do I want an alcholic covering my rear end probly not.

Rules are meant for a reason, drinking has to be controlled in the Military, when I was in Japan the legal age was 18, until some drunk 18 year old raped an innocent japanese girl, they then changed the age to 21.

Drinking and alcholism in the Military is a serious problem you join the military to protect and defend our country not to drink.

Answer 7

I've been drinking socially since I was 13 and am not an alcoholic. To those who think that drinlikn at 18 results in alcoholics all over the place, you are very ignorant. Would not surprise me if you are religious fanatics as well.

Answer 8

That was tried with Nixon, he gave 18 year olds the right to vote but not to drink.

Answer 9

They can't drink in Iraq anyway. They can drink on base, and at most other bases around the world. It's not as big of a deal as people want to make out.
USAF Veteran

Answer 10

for all of you that are saying its 21 in the US and 18 overseas thats not entirely correct. overseas bases it is up to the individual command what the drinking age is, we were in Japan with the AF and the PACAF comander ruled that for all AF bases in the pacific region the drinking age would be no lower than 20 .....some base commanders even made it 21