Lower the Drinking Age on Base to 18?

[Marine0311]

I don't know, I wouldn't be surprised at all. My question is though, is it legal to do so?

I don't think military officers would have the legal authority to do so. I believe they have to follow the law (federal?)

 

[pardus]

I don't think military officers would have the legal authority to do so. I believe they have to follow the law (federal?)

That is my understanding, though I'm not 100% sure.
Therefore if a commander gives authorization to do so (and good on him for for doing it), and something goes wrong, his career is over for giving an illegal authorization. That's a tragedy.

 

[fox1371]

I don't know, I wouldn't be surprised at all. My question is though, is it legal to do so?

My guess is that it would depend on the State laws? I'm not sure. It's definitely happened in the past though. I've personally experienced it haha.

 

[Gunz]

...I am not keen on letting the under 21 crowd into the military in the first place.

Well, there goes half the Marine Corps...

I've got mixed feeling about this. I sure enjoyed being able to have a few beers at the E Club or NCO Club when I was a young Devil Pup. Especially after a forced march or extended training op. Best goddam beer I ever had was at Ft Sherman after coming out of that jungle and I was an E4 at the time, still shy of 21.

 

[racing_kitty]

Looking at the number of idiot 20-somethings and 30-somethings these days, the argument that 18-20 year olds need that time to grow up is moot, because nowadays they won't.

 

[Wench]

I will only speak to personal experience/observations...when stationed at Ft. Huachuca back in 1993 for a course, 18 y/o's were allowed to drink on post in order to deter shenanigans across the border. The 18-20 y/o's there had a far bigger propensity to act like flaming idiots than newly-minted 21 y/o's elsewhere. Chalk it up to whatever, but personally I can't support a drinking age of 18 because I do believe those few years can make a difference in maturity and decision-making.

 

[pardus]

I will only speak to personal experience/observations...when stationed at Ft. Huachuca back in 1993 for a course, 18 y/o's were allowed to drink on post in order to deter shenanigans across the border. The 18-20 y/o's there had a far bigger propensity to act like flaming idiots than newly-minted 21 y/o's elsewhere. Chalk it up to whatever, but personally I can't support a drinking age of 18 because I do believe those few years can make a difference in maturity and decision-making.

And acting like assholes on post is worse than drinking unregulated in a shithole, violent country like Mexico?

 

[DA SWO]

And acting like assholes on post is worse than drinking unregulated in a shithole, violent country like Mexico?

Less likely to end up dead.

 

[Wench]

And acting like assholes on post is worse than drinking unregulated in a shithole, violent country like Mexico?

That wasn't really my point, or even what I said. They'll act like assholes either place, moreso than a 21 y/o would. The original question was if the drinking age should be lowered to 18 in general. I merely provided background for my experience with the matter. Lowering the drinking age isn't the answer; why not restrict them from traveling to Mexico? Why not lay down the law that if they act like assholes in Mexico, there will be hell to pay under the UCMJ upon eventual return?

 

[RetPara]

If your old enough to die for you country, you should be able to walk in and have a damn beer. It's an old sentiment.... we used to be able to drink beer on post no matter what age we were. CONUS or not.

 

[Chris16]

In regards to the United States, I think the immaturity issue that corresponds to alcohol use among most underage people is a cultural aspect. When teenagers are not allowed to drink legally, and the people who raise teenagers, place restrictions on their actions in order to mitigate them consuming alcohol, they are going to want to drink; especially when many teenagers are exposed to alcohol use amongst the media, and hearing people going to college binge drinking every weekend. Teenagers are going to want to consume alcohol since it's the "cool" thing to do, and when they've never been exposed to it before, usually by those who raise them, they tend to think drinking is a "big deal, and they don't know their limits, which is when bad shit can happen.

 

[pardus]

That wasn't really my point, or even what I said. They'll act like assholes either place, moreso than a 21 y/o would. The original question was if the drinking age should be lowered to 18 in general. I merely provided background for my experience with the matter. Lowering the drinking age isn't the answer; why not restrict them from traveling to Mexico? Why not lay down the law that if they act like assholes in Mexico, there will be hell to pay under the UCMJ upon eventual return?

Shut your mouth when you're talking to me!

I gotcha, I was just making the same point I had made earlier in the thread.
I don't want to drink around 18 yr old retards either, but I think Military 18 yr olds deserve it.

Unless things have changed, they are banned from visiting the border states (and some others) of Mexico, and need clearance to go to the other states.

 

[fox1371]

If your old enough to die for you country, you should be able to walk in and have a damn beer. It's an old sentiment.... we used to be able to drink beer on post no matter what age we were. CONUS or not.

Agreed. I'll gladly introduce anyone here to one of my Marines who lost both legs at the age of 18. Then go ahead and look him in the eye and tell him he's not able to have a beer...

 

[parallel]

Nope. That would be a fucking disaster. And it isn't like they can't get the liqour now.

It wasn't a "disaster" when it was that way when I joined. Why would it be any different now?

 

[pardus]

This...

Agreed. I'll gladly introduce anyone here to one of my Marines who lost both legs at the age of 18. Then go ahead and look him in the eye and tell him he's not able to have a beer...

 

[Six-Two]

Having split my formative years between California and Spain (where the drinking age was 16, if it was enforced at all), I can safely say that the novelty wore off damn quick after a couple hangovers in High School. I got a lot of the partying elements out of my system by the time I came back at 17, so while my friends were wigging out about access to booze, I was pretty much over it. That said, the idea of me at 18 and a bunch of other 18 year olds full of testosterone with access to ordnance may've been a terrifying situation. Giving an American teenager the responsibility of being a soldier and a substance that takes responsibility away at the same time just seems like a recipe for disaster.

 

[pardus]

Having split my formative years between California and Spain (where the drinking age was 16, if it was enforced at all), I can safely say that the novelty wore off damn quick after a couple hangovers in High School. I got a lot of the partying elements out of my system by the time I came back at 17, so while my friends were wigging out about access to booze, I was pretty much over it. That said, the idea of me at 18 and a bunch of other 18 year olds full of testosterone with access to ordnance may've been a terrifying situation. Giving an American teenager the responsibility of being a soldier and a substance that takes responsibility away at the same time just seems like a recipe for disaster.

Do you seriously think we give loaded weapons to people who are drinking? Are you high or what?

 

[Six-Two]

Do you seriously think we give loaded weapons to people who are drinking? Are you high or what?

No, sorry - that was presumptuous, and was poorly phrased. I guess what I meant to say was 18-year-olds are hormonal, insecure, brash, and still developing; adding booze doesn't seem necessary. And it's not like booze just leaves your system right away. Doesn't seem out of the question that somebody could still be drunk and have access to firearms. Even if that isn't the case, I don't think "Joining the army means you can get fucked up earlier" is the right message to send. That said, I'm all for the European/Australian approach to drinking, which in my experiences means being exposed to it earlier, getting it out of your system, and feeling quite comfortable passing it up later on if you've got shit to do instead of counting down to 21 like a cork waiting to be popped.

 

[digrar]

All we've done is made the drinking related fuckwittery more prominent in entertainment districts. Underage drinking is also prevalent, so I doubt an increase in our drinking age would help matters, although it might make clubs and pubs slightly more bearable over the weekends.

 

[TLDR20]

It wasn't a "disaster" when it was that way when I joined. Why would it be any different now?

I don't know when you were in, but the service is different now even than when I joined. Privates have an epic amount of freedom.