Lower drinking age for troops considered

[W4MAJ]

This one has always bothered me and I hope this legislation passes.


(Army Times) State legislatures in Kentucky and South Carolina this year are considering proposals to exempt service members from the federally mandated drinking age of 21, enabling any active-duty member 18 or older to buy alcohol with a military-issued I.D.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/military_lower_drinkingage_080131w/

[N4AUD]

I think it's a great idea! I could never understand the thinking that you could trust a 20 year old to make life and death decisions but they weren't responsible enough to consume alcohol. My son was an NCO in the Marine Corps BEFORE he could legally buy a beer. Stupid, truly stupid.

[kc7jty]

another reason to enlist?

[n2ize]

In that case lower the drinking age for everyone to 18.

[N4AUD]

If it were up to me, I would. This is a start. I was against raising the drinking age to 21 and I'm still against it.

At 18, either you are legally an adult or you are not. If 18 through 20 year olds aren't responsible enough to drink a beer, I damn sure don't want them voting or carrying a firearm in the military, getting married, or going off on their own to college or getting a job.

[w3bny]

scheeeahh.. Like 21 ever stopped me when I was in teh Navy. ;)

[W7WV]

When I served (66-72) nobody every asked for ID on base at least.
Think they figured if you were old enough to be in uniform you were old enough to drink.

[N2RJ]

It's not going to pass.

Lawmakers won’t consider the bills very long — they’re doomed from the start because they would force the states to forfeit millions of dollars in federal highway funds.

I do think the drinking age should be lowered to 18 for everyone though.

If you're old enough to enlist and vote, you should be old enough to drink.

[N4AUD]

If the people in that age group start a campaign to put the drinking age back at 18, I'll support them. I'm sure a lot of people will. I guess the ball is in their court, and has been for 20 years.

This blackmail by the federal government, coercing the states by withholding highway funds (remember the national 55 mph speed limit?) shouldn't be tolerated.

[WA6MHZ]

Maybe that will encourge my Son to Enlist!!! Nah, he will still be in Boot Camp by the time he turns 21 so it isn't worth it! He does drink alot already, but he better not even THINK of driving like that, the Smokeys really hammer under 21 folks for alcohol! If the Old ladies in MADD had anything to say about it, they'd raise the drinking age to 70! People with short memory forget what happened when they tried Prohibition before. Lets pray this passes, it is high time for some Justice in the world!

[WA6MHZ]

If the people in that age group start a campaign to put the drinking age back at 18, I'll support them. I'm sure a lot of people will. I guess the ball is in their court, and has been for 20 years.

This blackmail by the federal government, coercing the states by withholding highway funds (remember the national 55 mph speed limit?) shouldn't be tolerated.

I can't remember a law in all the US History that sucked as bad as that 55 limit! Damn am I glad it went away!!! They should increase it still, up to 100 MPH on the open freeways! The Autobahn has few problems, and probably less accidents that Stateside!

[w3bny]

They should increase it still, up to 100 MPH on the open freeways! The Autobahn has few problems, and probably less accidents that Stateside!


Yeah but the autobahn was designed and built to be that stable at those speeds. Whereas the U.S. highway system was built by the lowest bidder using the cheapest materials and cheapest labor available to maintain a high profit margin.

You still wannna trust your bacon in some bavarian buzz bomb on a US highway.... much less with the standard inbred idiots that seem to populate the US highway system.

[kc7jty]

I can't remember a law in all the US History that sucked as bad as that 55 limit! Damn am I glad it went away!!! They should increase it still, up to 100 MPH on the open freeways! The Autobahn has few problems, and probably less accidents that Stateside!
but Europeans are considerably less juvenile and more responsible than we.

[kc7jty]

How about the gambling age? Can the kiddies handle gambling?
What's the drinking age in France? Do the kids there get drunk like they do here?

[KD5ZER]

How about the gambling age? Can the kiddies handle gambling?
What's the drinking age in France? Do the kids there get drunk like they do here?

I don't know what the legal age is, but I was buying beer in France and Germany two years ago. I was 16 at the time.

[kg4kww]

I'm all for it. old enough to die, old enough to get drunk.

I like drunk wacks.

[KI4REX]

When I joined the Navy in 1995 the drinking age on base was 18 in San Deigo, there were less drinking related incedents then as well

[k4kyv]

I believe the official drinking age in France is 16, but I never saw anyone make an issue of it. Kids as young as age 5 are seen lugging bottles of wine back home from the store for their parents. I think the US (land of the "free") is about the only country in the world where most people have ever even heard of anything as absurd as checking identity papers before selling alcohol. Most visitors from other parts of the world find it totally baffling.

Even more absurdly, older people obviously well past drinking age are now more and more often being required to show "papers" before they can purchase beer.

They are presently trying to pass a law in UK to make it illegal to publicly consume alcohol under age 18. Presently, you have to be 18 to purchase alcohol, but there is no law regarding drinking. The thinking is that if the drinking occurs in the home, it will more likely be under parental supervision. There has been a lot of trouble in urban areas lately with intoxicated kids raising hell.

Some states in the US do not have a law against consuming under 21, only buying it. I think the federal blackmail law only covers sales.

So to be perfectly law-abiding, one is supposed to not ever touch even a drop until age 21, then suddenly, at the stroke of midnight, they are instantly free to purchase and drink all they want. A perfect set-up for irresponsible drinking and associated high-risk behaviour.

[kd5kfl]

Oh, wow. Flashback to 1972.

18 year olds in Michigan got to drink back then. Old enough to fight, old enough to vote.

Except the lawmakers let those who did not enlist drink. What a stupid plan. Drunk driving accidents caused by 18 - 21 year olds went off the scale. Drunken underage civilians ruined it for the GIs.

[kc7jty]

It was easier for me to get pot as a kid than beer. To get beer I had to visit with this short chubby guy who liked young boys and ride with him in his corvair. I didn't drink much beer then.

[kf6rdn]

I suppose I'll take heat for this one, but there's quite a few drinking/driving deaths in my community that I dont think it should generally be lowered.

However.. I think kids that are joining the service tend to be a little more mature, and are putting their life on the line, so yes I would be for that for them.

[KB3PXR]

I think that anyone that is willing to put their life on the line for their country (anyone currently on active duty) should be allowed to drink. Remember "Eve of Destruction" where he said "You're old enough for killin' but not for votin'." Today it would be "You're old enough for killin' but not for drinkin'." While I don't think just anybody 18-20 should drink, give the privilege to those in the armed forces on active duty.

[ab8ro]

However.. I think kids that are joining the service tend to be a little more mature.


Huh? You've got to be kidding me? The military not immature?