The Millitary

[Fieldartman]

I will like to start off by saying thanks for letting me in this guild. I am 19 and I am a U.S. Army soldier. I want to know what people think about the war going on in iraq. Which I should be going to in August of 2007. But mainly I want to ask a question and I would like to know everyones opinion. Because I'm 19 I can't drink. Do you think because someone joines the army and can fight for his country should be allowed to go pass that law and drink. Cause I say I don't drink anyways but I find it a little unfair.

 

[Doressa]

The legal age to drink in Australia is 18, so I have to say I find it bizarre that you aren't able to do that in the US. If they are going to change the law though, I think it should be for everyone, not just soldiers.  

[Fieldartman]

Doressa

The legal age to drink in Australia is 18, so I have to say I find it bizarre that you aren't able to do that in the US. If they are going to change the law though, I think it should be for everyone, not just soldiers.

Very true but in America I will say people under 21 get stupid drunk. But as a soldier with all our responsibilities it;s rarly that we would want to get drunk.  

[lunashock]

Lol, my husband is in the military and I have to disagree that a lot of young guys DO want to get drunk. I know waaaay too many people in the military that have gone out, even OVER 21, and generally I know here at least, the AIT students tend to get in trouble a lot as it is. And I know for a fact, that after soldiers get back from deployment, they tend to indulge in the drinking.

Actually, I want to say (don't quote me) that someone had told me down the line that in certain areas, they do waive that 21 age limit for soldiers on bases.  

[Seeress]

Do soldiers go by American age limits or the age limits of the country they're stationed in? I know that in many other countries, the drinking age is younger. I've even heard of it being 16. And where I was in China, although I have no idea of the established age limit, in actuality you just had to be old enough to reach the top of the bar.  

[Raien3]

To my knowledge, both Seeress and Lunashock are right. If you are stationed in a place that has no drinking age then you have no drinking age. Also I could have sworn that on base you can drink reguardless of age.
But in truth i dont feel that they should have different laws simply because the are in the military  

[SydneySkye]

People will drink no matter what...I have never understood why they changed it to 21. The more they take away, the more people do it. And then it is therefore illegal, so then they possibly go to jail if caught. My parents were in the Air Force and my father is now a Sheriff. He knew I drank every now and then, but he also knew I would not drive I would crash wherever I was. Ok now that I have rambled on...  

[Archangel Lionheart]

Its CO's policy on drinking in foreign ports. Its that country's laws or the CO's, whichevers stricter. You can always augment the rules, you just can't lessen them. Also, yes military members get trashed (I was last night). There are alchohol issues in the military. The US happens to have one of the only navies where you don't have alchohol on the ship. There is an exception, but its a long explanation.  

[dakotarayne]

Used to be able to drink at the on post bar over the age of 18, but the bar is now gone... I dont know when it was removed...  

[Doressa]

I didn't know that the US navy ships couldn't drink on board, but that would explain a lot! They often dock in at Fremantle which is very close to where I live, and when they do they have quite the reputation for hitting the town in a BIG way! xd 3nodding  

[Juggalo1213]

Fieldartman

Doressa

The legal age to drink in Australia is 18, so I have to say I find it bizarre that you aren't able to do that in the US. If they are going to change the law though, I think it should be for everyone, not just soldiers.

Very true but in America I will say people under 21 get stupid drunk. But as a soldier with all our responsibilities it;s rarly that we would want to get drunk.

I think if your old enough to fight for the country and die then youre damn well old enough to drink. I also want to thank you for what your doing for the country. No matter what people say about bush and the war you have to believe that your helping the iraquis make a better life for themselves.
Im sure there are plenty of people over there that appreciate what the soldiers are doing.  

[Archangel Lionheart]

Juggalo1213

Fieldartman

Doressa

The legal age to drink in Australia is 18, so I have to say I find it bizarre that you aren't able to do that in the US. If they are going to change the law though, I think it should be for everyone, not just soldiers.

Very true but in America I will say people under 21 get stupid drunk. But as a soldier with all our responsibilities it;s rarly that we would want to get drunk.

I think if your old enough to fight for the country and die then youre damn well old enough to drink. I also want to thank you for what your doing for the country. No matter what people say about bush and the war you have to believe that your helping the iraquis make a better life for themselves.
Im sure there are plenty of people over there that appreciate what the soldiers are doing.

Thats what most don't realise. The media only puts out their views and what gets ratings. There are so many things not put out, especially the good things. We're not a bunch of war mongers, we just want to do our part and protect the ones we love. We actually lose a lot of the rights we risk our lives to protect. We can be punished by double jeopardy and can't even speak against our own government. We really appreciate all of you who support us still, even with the popular belief to be against us.  

[SydneySkye]

Pirate Dirge

Sydney, the ages are higher because when individual states have had an age limit of 18 for drinking beer, there were too many people coming to school drunk and giving alcohol to younger students. In WI in the 70's, my mother could go out at lunch and drink and this was apparently an issue. That and the government has it worked out with the states that if they want their full funding for highways, the drinking limit has to be 21 or else it gets pulled. So individual states make the laws, but overall the Federal Gov. has the final say in that.

Thanks! That makes sense. I just never looked it up. I knew it changed shortly before I turned 18, and being a military brat, all I thought was they changed the law and that was that. I di not question it until after I was 21. I had a few drinks on Friday nights when I was in school, and I mean a few, I was not a big drinker. That happened after my divorce from Zack's dad. I did the drown my sorrows thing. I never should have done that. I now drink occasionally. I like a good wine with dinner kind of thing. I found my limits the hard way and would not recommend it to anyone. And I am highly against drinking and driving. Right now my weakness is Starbucks.  

[Raien3]

I understand your view about drinking and defending, but you have to agree, the world is a little scared at the idea of a drunk person haveing access to a tank. I happened to be in San Diego when that guy took a joy ride in the tank.