Alaska to Consider Lowering Drinking Age for U.S. Troops

[BJJ-Blue]

"Defense Secretary Robert Gates doesn't support lowering the drinking age for U.S. troops, but that hasn't deterred one Alaska lawmaker from renewing the debate over whether military members old enough to fight and die for their country are responsible enough to drink and smoke.

The argument dates back decades to the Vietnam War, and now Alaska state Republican Rep. Bob Lynn is proposing a bill that would allow military members in his state under 21 to legally drink and smoke there. Alaska residents can't legally drinking until they're 21 and legally smoke until they're 19.

Lynn has been careful to note that neither he nor his bill promotes drinking or smoking as a habit. But, he says, the bill would "enable all active duty warriors in our U.S. Armed Forces to be treated as adults, regardless of age."

"It's outrageous that a member of our military can be subjected to the horrors of war but can't legally have a beer or smoke a cigarette," Lynn wrote in his blog Monday. "Any soldier who braves military combat and risks their life for our country should be treated like an adult -- in every sense of the word.""

Full article:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/31/alaska-consider-lowering-drinking-age-troops/

[David Jamieson]

Alternately, you could make them Canadians, then they can smoke at 16 and drink at 18 in most provinces, 19 in the big cities.

Yeah, we like to get high. Our high is made of Canada!

[Drake]

They tried it in Arizona. It was a nightmare. ESPECIALLY given the attempts by the Army to deglamorize alcohol. It is begging for DUIs, which, in the military, is career suicide.

We had a LOT of kids get into trouble because of that law.

[Syn7]

They tried it in Arizona. It was a nightmare. ESPECIALLY given the attempts by the Army to deglamorize alcohol. It is begging for DUIs, which, in the military, is career suicide.

We had a LOT of kids get into trouble because of that law.

weird... wonder why i, and everyone i know, could handle it at 16 and 18 but an american soldier, let alone the average guy, cant do it in arizona?

i dont think we're more mature or anything... so it must be conditioning... im pretty sure that the age was much much lower for our parents too...

if we can do it, you can do it... just stand infront of the mirror and repeat "im smart, goodlooking, and gosh darnit people really do like me!!!" repeat until courage spills outta ya...

[David Jamieson]

then pour the courage back in...

[Drake]

weird... wonder why i, and everyone i know, could handle it at 16 and 18 but an american soldier, let alone the average guy, cant do it in arizona?

i dont think we're more mature or anything... so it must be conditioning... im pretty sure that the age was much much lower for our parents too...

if we can do it, you can do it... just stand infront of the mirror and repeat "im smart, goodlooking, and gosh darnit people really do like me!!!" repeat until courage spills outta ya...

For many of them, it's their first time away from home, no supervision, and a bunch of other guys around the same age. It's always been a recipe for disaster in the military. I've seen a LOT of careers ruined because of alcohol.

[Syn7]

peer pressure is a b!tch, aye!!!

i think they should either lower the drinking age or raise the enrollment age... but dont make it automatic, phase it in somehow... make it only apply to a group born after a certain date, that way there isnt an automatic mass of new drinkers all at once...

[Lucas]

too much emphasis is put on alcohol in general. no one needs alcohol to unwind or have a good time, if you do, then you have some issues. id rather just go get some tail, and be sober for it...although we are talking about alaska...

[PalmStriker]

Definitely change the enrollment age to 21 and make all politicians serve a mandatory six years in the service before they are allowed to pursue careers in decision making, like in the "old days". :D

[Lucas]

word. if my polotician cant do 100 push ups i wont vote for him. no weaklings allowed

[Drake]

peer pressure is a b!tch, aye!!!

i think they should either lower the drinking age or raise the enrollment age... but dont make it automatic, phase it in somehow... make it only apply to a group born after a certain date, that way there isnt an automatic mass of new drinkers all at once...

They don't have to do anything. We just tell the troops that the law doesn't apply to them. Nothing anybody can do about that.

[BJJ-Blue]

Alternately, you could make them Canadians, then they can smoke at 16 and drink at 18 in most provinces, 19 in the big cities.

How does having a different age in different parts of the country work? Is it by county (or the Canadian equivalent of a county), or city or what?

We still have some 'dry counties' left here. It's a county where alcohol is banned completely. Of course along the county borders, liquor stores thrive.


They tried it in Arizona. It was a nightmare. ESPECIALLY given the attempts by the Army to deglamorize alcohol. It is begging for DUIs, which, in the military, is career suicide.

We had a LOT of kids get into trouble because of that law.

So it keeps the irresponsible ones from moving up. Whats wrong with that?

The way I look at it, if you're mature enough at 18ish to be responsible, you're the type I'd like to see move up in the military that protects my freedoms.

[MasterKiller]

LOL. The military will certainly oppose this bill.

On another note, what makes these guys so special? You can't single out one group of citizens for special priveledges just because of their job.

[Drake]

BJJ, this is my lane. We've got this. You don't understand this dynamic, and ypur approach is flawed on multiple levels.

That irresponsible PVT you keep out of trouble now by curtailing his "hobbies" will be that responsible NCO later. And he'll remember that you kept him out of trouble.

Don't try to solve problems you don't have the expertise or leadership experience to solve. Just because a PVT is irresponsible, doesn't mean he won't mature as he develops. Letting him get a DUI as a means of "thinning the herd" is widely considered dereliction of duty on part of the leader.

[BJJ-Blue]

Drake, I just gave my opinion. I did not claim to be an expert.

And if you and MK are right and the military opposes it, I'd be fine with not changing the law. I like to let those with expertise in the area in question make the decisions. I just put my .02 cents in, but again I did not claim to be an expert, etc.

[SoCo KungFu]

weird... wonder why i, and everyone i know, could handle it at 16 and 18 but an american soldier, let alone the average guy, cant do it in arizona?

i dont think we're more mature or anything... so it must be conditioning... im pretty sure that the age was much much lower for our parents too...

if we can do it, you can do it... just stand infront of the mirror and repeat "im smart, goodlooking, and gosh darnit people really do like me!!!" repeat until courage spills outta ya...

First time away from home, no supervision. Just like college kids. Only now pile on the lack of freedom through basic training and AIT and then all a sudden remove the chains. Recipe for disaster.

[Syn7]

First time away from home, no supervision. Just like college kids. Only now pile on the lack of freedom through basic training and AIT and then all a sudden remove the chains. Recipe for disaster.

which is why i said it has to be administered properly and not all at once... i would be more for raising the enrollment age than to lower drinking ages...

we do okay here tho, and its alot lower than in the states... smoking is 18 now, but it was 16 when i was that age... and drinking has been 19 all my life... military age is 18... still a discrepancy, but not 3 years...

[Syn7]

Drake, I just gave my opinion. I did not claim to be an expert.

And if you and MK are right and the military opposes it, I'd be fine with not changing the law. I like to let those with expertise in the area in question make the decisions. I just put my .02 cents in, but again I did not claim to be an expert, etc.

uuuummm... that would be either 2 cents or .02 dollars... good one... the fact that you took the time to write it that way yet managed to get it wrong makes me wonder about your level of comprehension... more evidence of your genius...

[SoCo KungFu]

which is why i said it has to be administered properly and not all at once...

It will be, which is why the law is ultimately meaningless. Its just pandering to sentiment. Somebody will do something stupid and the commanders will just institute a general ordering banning alcohol consumption and curfews for junior enlisted.

[Syn7]

yeah, i dont care how the military handles it... i would be for outright prohibition to soldiers even... alcohol doesnt help in any way shape or form, its a handicap no matter how you look at it...

but for the general public, the military enrollment age and the drinking age should be in sync, whichever way they go about it...

[David Jamieson]

How does having a different age in different parts of the country work? Is it by county (or the Canadian equivalent of a county), or city or what?
We still have some 'dry counties' left here. It's a county where alcohol is banned completely. Of course along the county borders, liquor stores thrive.

We have places that are dry as well. Most of them are either religious, or strongly religious communities or native communities where alcohol is a historical problem and a serious issue. The age difference is a population base thing.



So it keeps the irresponsible ones from moving up. Whats wrong with that?
The way I look at it, if you're mature enough at 18ish to be responsible, you're the type I'd like to see move up in the military that protects my freedoms.

Oddly enough, I agree with Drake regarding the process of culling that needs to occur.

[RenDaHai]

I reckon decrease the drinking age to 18, and increase the enlisting age to 21. That way everyone can spend a few years getting pis*ed up and thinking about if they really want to join the army or not. I mean I know I wasn't mature enough to make such a big decision as joining the army when I was that young.

Some men are going to other countries to fight for, in effect, human rights and dying before they even have full rights in their own society. That seems pretty crazy.

[Syn7]

maybe that way they can learn to hold their liquor before we give them automatic weapons and explosives to play with ;)


besides, most people interested in the sauce got into it long before they were 21, i sure did... but i drink maybe once every two or three months, and even then i NEVER loose control... ive only lost control once, its not my thing... people just get hurt, parts get broken, you feel like sh1t later... its pointless... im happy to get my buzz on then stop... besides, everr tried b-boyin' when you can barely stand up straight? doesnt make for a good session... i'd rather rocksteady then take the drunk retards girl home rather than be that retard... im even embarrassed when my friends did it... i say "did" cause i wouldnt associate with anyone that would do that at my age... thats best left to the kids...

[MasterKiller]

Oddly enough, I agree with Drake regarding the process of culling that needs to occur.

The last thing the military wants is to unleash 10,000 18 year-olds with no bills, no kids, and nothing else to do during the weekend except get drunk on the communities that support those bases.

[BJJ-Blue]

we do okay here tho, and its alot lower than in the states... smoking is 18 now, but it was 16 when i was that age... and drinking has been 19 all my life... military age is 18... still a discrepancy, but not 3 years...

I remember that too. I remember the Louisiana didn't raise it to 21 when the Federal Government demanded States do it or face a loss of highway funds. For years after they finally changed it they had some of the worst roads of any State.


uuuummm... that would be either 2 cents or .02 dollars... good one... the fact that you took the time to write it that way yet managed to get it wrong makes me wonder about your level of comprehension... more evidence of your genius...

Let's not nitpick please. I know how to write it, it just wasn't a huge deal to me. ;)

[BJJ-Blue]

The last thing the military wants is to unleash 10,000 18 year-olds with no bills, ...

Yeah, those guys are not known for their smart spending. I learned a long time ago that when you see an area chock full of pawn shops, you know there is either a casino or a military base nearby.