SC Rep.: Alcohol for underage military

[LiberalNation]

If your an adult under the law at 18 you ought to be able to drink at 18.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080131/...pGhyaYzpVvzwcF

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A state lawmaker wants to give members of the armed forces younger than 21 the right to buy alcohol even though it's in stark contrast to the military's efforts to diminish underage drinking and related accidents.

"I really don't think it should create a problem for the military. It might even enhance their morale," Rep. Fletcher Smith said Wednesday.

State law prohibits the sale or possession of alcohol by anyone under 21. In 1984, South Carolina raised the drinking age to 21 from 18 to comply with federal law.

Smith, a private attorney, acknowledged South Carolina would risk losing several hundred million dollars in federal highway money if the legislation he introduced is approved, but he insisted the change is necessary.

"It's absurd that people serving in the military are trained to kill on the battlefield but at the same time couldn't come back home and have a beer," the Greenville Democrat said. "If you're old enough to get training in the U.S. military, you should be old enough to get a beer. That training really matures a person."

Rep. Grady Brown, who served in the South Carolina Air National Guard, said he would support the bill.

"If a man is old enough to defend his country and die for his country," he shouldn't be told he's too young for a beer, said Brown, D-Bishopville.

There's a different attitude on many military bases attempting to battle drinking by younger men and women, in part to reduce drunken driving and other alcohol-related problems.

At nearby Fort Jackson, recruits may join the Army at age 17 with parental approval. However, no one in basic training may drink, regardless of their age, said base spokeswoman Karen Soule.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Williams said Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter has a "zero tolerance" policy for underage drinkers.

Overall, he's seen "a real shift in attitude — an effort to de-glamorize drinking" since he first joined the military at age 20.

"It used to be you'd see four kegs at a picnic. Now, it's all about drinking responsibly," said Williams, 36.

Safety advocates, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, think Smith's bill is a bad idea.

[Dilloduck]

"If you're old enough to get training in the U.S. military, you should be old enough to get a beer. That training really matures a person."

However you draw the drinking age line, that ain't it.

[Classact]

However you draw the drinking age line, that ain't it.

If you are too immature to drink then you are to immature to be a soldier. And, I would submit that if you are too immature to drink you are too immature to vote.

Alcohol kills more soldiers than any enemy ever has or ever will. More soldiers and college age non-soldiers will drown to death on their own vomit caused by drinking than will die in combat.

I would suggest that the age for soldiers and voting be raised to 21.

[theHawk]

In the old days it was legal for 18 and up military to drink. But when there was a few drinking related deaths the military overracted and changed its rules. Now they have to deal with punishing underage drinkers. Besides, beer and life in the military go hand in hand, its idiotic to fight that.

[Mr. P]

"I really don't think it should create a problem for the military. It might even enhance their morale," Rep. Fletcher Smith said Wednesday.

Another MORON politician! Of course it creates a problem. If PFC John Doe goes to the bar just outside the main gate, gets drunk and is killed in an accident, the military has lost an asset.

The military can an should make their own drinking policy. If the state allows for legal deviation from that policy that increases the military effort to enforce the policy. More time for outside patrols, more Jag time defending or representing soldiers, it all equals more $$$$, another problem and lose of assets.

Could the potential fines collected from these young 18, 19 yr olds arrested for DUI off post be the catalyst for this legislation? Maybe. Nahhh the local yokels would NEVER take advantage of our troops, would they?

[Little-Acorn]

Is the age-21 rule just for military nationwide? Or for the entire country, military and civilian? I haven't paid much attn to it 'cuz I'm an old guy. The age here in California is 21, to my 18-year-old son's distress.

I lived in New Jehsey when the age was lowered from 21 to 18 there - that was quite a while ago. In fact, the day it became effective there, was my 18th birthday. Celebrated by going to the local pub with friends, of course.

Is this age-21 law now, for the entire country (civilians and military)? Or just for military members?

[LiberalNation]

It's 21 in kentucky, I think nearly all states now have it at 21.

[Kathianne]

Is the age-21 rule just for military nationwide? Or for the entire country, military and civilian? I haven't paid much attn to it 'cuz I'm an old guy. The age here in California is 21, to my 18-year-old son's distress.

I lived in New Jehsey when the age was lowered from 21 to 18 there - that was quite a while ago. In fact, the day it became effective there, was my 18th birthday. Celebrated by going to the local pub with friends, of course.

Is this age-21 law now, for the entire country (civilians and military)? Or just for military members?

No federal road $$$ if drinking age is less than 21.

[Mr. P]

Is the age-21 rule just for military nationwide? Or for the entire country, military and civilian? I haven't paid much attn to it 'cuz I'm an old guy. The age here in California is 21, to my 18-year-old son's distress.

I lived in New Jehsey when the age was lowered from 21 to 18 there - that was quite a while ago. In fact, the day it became effective there, was my 18th birthday. Celebrated by going to the local pub with friends, of course.

Is this age-21 law now, for the entire country (civilians and military)? Or just for military members?

Same here in Ga. They lowered the age to 18 on my birthday. It's 21 now. I can't swear to it but I think it has been set at 21 pretty much everywhere forced by the Fed on the threat of losing Fed Hwy funds if a state didn't comply. I may be wrong.

[Little-Acorn]

Sure enough. From Wikipedia:

The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 states that revenue will be withheld from states that allow the purchase of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21. Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is whether food is being served). Contrary to popular belief, since the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, few states specifically prohibit minors' and young adults' consumption of alcohol in private settings. As of January 1, 2007, 14 states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, 19 states do not specifically ban underage consumption, and an additional 27 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. [3]
Federal law explicitly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club possession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage possession laws. [4]

Underage purchase of alcohol, though illegal in all fifty states, is not a federal offense, although restrictions on highway funding for states that allow it make it illegal federally de facto. See Underage drinking in the United States. Additionally, exceptions exist on certain military installations, for instance Fort Bliss, Texas, where the Commanding General lowered the age to 18 to reduce the number of soldiers traveling out of the country to nearby Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, to drink.

[AFbombloader]

They need to leave this alone. I don't think the 18 year olds I see in the Air Force need to drink. They need the few years to mature and learn before the drink. There are ways around this. Go overseas. Most bases, Especially tose in Europe, must follow the law of the country they are in.

AF

[LiberalNation]

Most of those 18 year olds you see already drink anyway.

[AFbombloader]

Most of those 18 year olds you see already drink anyway.

Not as many as you think. Because there is such a great risk to their careers in the Air Force. Most are smart enough to realize it is not worth it.

AF

[pegwinn]

They need to leave this alone. I don't think the 18 year olds I see in the Air Force need to drink. They need the few years to mature and learn before the drink. There are ways around this. Go overseas. Most bases, Especially tose in Europe, must follow the law of the country they are in.

AF

I disagree. My Marines were damn sure old enough to go to the various cesspits of the ME. They did thier jobs in a loud and proud military manner. And when we hit a libo port, we played as hard as we worked. Amazingly, at least among my Company, there were no incidents a trip to sickbay couldn't fix. I believe they are old enough to drink, and if required, pay the piper for the occasional foul up.

Most of those 18 year olds you see already drink anyway.

That is true.

As an 18 y/o Marine I was able to drink on base and at unit functions. I was out of the country in 84 and so could still drink. The majority of disciplinary actions for alcohol is simple underage possession.

There are a few CO's that will waive the rules for unit functions. But they were dwindling fast.

At 18 we tell boys that they are men. Not half men, or two thirds men. It's past time to legally let them man up.

[Gaffer]

Don't know about now days, but when I was in we could drink on post in the clubs there. Off post the drinking age was 21. I came back from Vietnam and couldn't drink off post or vote.