Military drinking age rumor?

Question

so one of my buddy's told me that with my military identification card, and while on active duty, i am allowed to buy alcohol at age 18. is this true or false?? leaving for USMC boot camp December 15th.

Answer 1

Generally speaking, the answer is FALSE. Being military does not exempt you from State Law. There is no state that has a special clause in regards to under age consumption for military personnel.

With that said, though, if you are overseas, many of those bases as well as a few stateside do allow military members under 21 to drink, for a few reasons. The top two being:
1. Overseas - the drinking age is generally different in the Host Nation.
2. Some stateside bases will allow it in an effort to keep the soldiers on base and keep them out of trouble off base. For instance, when stationed at Laughlin AFB (Del Rio, TX), we were three miles from the border and personnel could just go there to drink, so it is/was believed there was less opportunity for Airmen to get in trouble if they stayed on base.

Answer 2

False. You are legally obligated to follow the laws in the U.S. and the rules in the military. Back in the old days right after they changed the drinking age from 18 to 21, you were allowed to drink at the E-club (Enlisted Club) on base if you were active duty and at least 18 but they did away with that.

Of course if you get liberty in a country with a lower drinking age then you can drink but make sure with your unit's SOP.

Answer 3

FALSE. However there are RARE exceptions to this rule. My Marine Corps situation was a perfect example: I was stationed in Yuma, AZ - right on the border of Mexico. Any Marine could go down to Mexico and buy alcohol at bars and clubs LEGALLY. This was dangerous because then there were thousands of young Marines getting drunk in a foreign country, so to solve this problem, they allowed Marines over the age of 18 to purchase alcohol at the Base PX (to drink on base only), and to drink at the base E-Club. This was only allowed for Marines, meaning 18 year old civilians that lived on base couldn't do it, and only on our base. A couple of years later they changed this rule back so that only 21 year olds could drink again before I left. I'm sure that there are other situations like this too.

Answer 4

False

Answer 5

Nope. This is false. The drinking age has not changed, despite being in the military. The law is the law. You cannot drink at 18.

Answer 6

Several states had been discussing this issue because their state legislators feel military men and women returning home should be able to have a beer without repercussions. Most have since abandoned the push for a low lowering the age, but the states that have continued to explore it want to lower it for service people only.

Answer 7

The Marine Corps Order (MCO) states that you are allowed to drink as an underage marine only on special occaisions and under close supervision of the Noncommissioned Officer to whom you are intrusted. It is also purely up to the unit/base commanders discression. At the recent Marine Corps Ball I went to in Las Vegas every Marine was allowed to drink but dont think they werent being watched closely and anyone who screwed up got in some seriously deep water.

Answer 8

The law does say 21. However when I was in the Army I could always buy alcohol on base while I was under the legal age of 21.

Answer 9

I think alcohol is the least of your worries. You will have buddies that are old enough to buy alcohol and that's how you'll really get it. In America, the legal age is 21 no matter what.

Thanks for your committment to the military.

Answer 10

Totally false. Just wishful thinking on his part.

The legal drinking age is still 21 - even in Europe and places like that you can go off post and drink legally but if you get caught with a dui then you face charges for both the dui and underage drinking. Don't risk it.