Drinking Age Lowered to 18

Katherine Mangu-Ward | May 15, 2007

Not for most of us, unfortunately.

But Marines overseas (and on-base in some circumstances) can now have a beer or two if they're 18 and legal in the country where they're stationed. This brings the Marines' policy in line with the rest of the armed forces.

"But the commandant’s changes go further than any other service’s policy, decriminalizing welcome-home beer for underage Marines returning from deployment and giving commanders the authority to hold an 18-and-up kegger on base upon a unit’s return from a war zone."

This pairs hilariously with another part of the ruling, which states that commanders must “ensure that appropriate controls are in place to prevent endangering military service members or the surrounding community."

Now that welcome home keggers and boozing in ports of call are fair game, some fear the ol' slippery slope:

“I have some skeptics out there who say, ‘Oh no, you’re opening that can of worms,’” [Sgt. Maj. John] Estrada said. “I say that’s B.S. Marines are mature enough to know what’s legal here.”

Via The Worldwide Standard.

Comments

Leatherneck|5.15.07 @ 1:49PM|#

OOOOOrah

thoreau|5.15.07 @ 1:57PM|#

Congratulations, Marines!

|5.15.07 @ 1:58PM|#

Heh. This is really just an official recognition of the way things have been forever.

|5.15.07 @ 1:59PM|#

One of my unique talents is the ability to sing the Marine's Hymn to the tune of Ghost Riders in the Sky.

Yippee Eye Yo Yippe Eye Aye United States Mareeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeens. Hooh-rah!

Brought the house down everytime.
Drunk Marines are the best audiences I ever played to.

|5.15.07 @ 2:22PM|#

One of my unique talents is the ability to sing the Marine's Hymn to the tune of Ghost Riders in the Sky.

At least it wasn't one of those talents that involve embarassing bodily functions.

Marines are the only service that understands they need to maintain viability as a fighting force. The others are much too concerned with being politically correct. I still have a mamaluke around here someplace.

|5.15.07 @ 2:30PM|#

But... but... I've been using the old argument "they can die for their country but they can't drink a beer" for decades. Now I have to think of something new to say?

|5.15.07 @ 2:34PM|#

"I still have a mamaluke around here someplace."

I believe Jews can wear mamalukes in the military.

|5.15.07 @ 2:34PM|#

...talents that involve embarassing bodily functions.

I have a few of those, but none pertinent to the topic of this thread. However, you never know what topics might arise on Hit&Run.

|5.15.07 @ 2:34PM|#

Yes, Other matt, we're all just running around out here in our ACUs (which are a beautiful rainbow color, doncha know...!)in the desert and looking for lesbians to promote to combat leadership.

Any other ignorant-ass conservative talking points you want to make, or are you done channeling Falwell today?

BobDobalina|5.15.07 @ 2:41PM|#

But... but... I've been using the old argument "they can die for their country but they can't drink a beer" for decades. Now I have to think of something new to say?

Considering the DoD's policy against frequenting LEGAL brothels ANYWHERE(now punishable under the UCMJ), even in places where it is legal and regulated like parts of Nevada, I think as a libertarian you'll still find plenty to quibble about.

VM|5.15.07 @ 2:41PM|#

Hi Randian!

keep on kickin' ass!

thoreau|5.15.07 @ 2:43PM|#

Randian-

He's probably just a Marine who's celebrating the new policy and got a little carried away.

|5.15.07 @ 2:50PM|#

thoreau -- a Marine? Get carried away in machismo? NEVER!
/sarcasm

Still, my point to Other matt still stand...it ain't like we're playing f-ing pattycake out here while the Marines are kicking in doors...

(keep in mind, my father's a retired Marine)
:-D

Thanks VM! If only we had URKOBOLD to kick in doors for us...

VM|5.15.07 @ 2:55PM|#

:)

URKOBOLD is, unfortunately, under contract with the Atlanta SWAT Division.

|5.15.07 @ 3:12PM|#

Active duty marines should be allowed to drink whatever their age.

|5.15.07 @ 3:15PM|#

URKOBOLD is, unfortunately, under contract with the Atlanta SWAT Division

Jesus...I didn't know that there were that many elderly female physicists in the greater Atlanta area!

VM|5.15.07 @ 3:18PM|#

Due to rising costs of prescription drugs, they have had to concentrate there. Away from their desired DR T!

Plus they can reach virtually anywhere (nonstop) from Hartfeld Airport, so it makes more sense for a cluster to be there.

All in pursuit of the Doktor Thoreau!!!!!!

The Wine Commonsewer|5.15.07 @ 3:52PM|#

Years back Marines were legal to drink based on whatever the age requirement was for the state or country in which they were stationed.

I say that's B.S. Marines are mature enough to know what's legal here

Estrada has obviously never been drinking with 0311's (grunts) or Phantom Jocks. Actually pretty much any USMC pilot can drink you under the table.

The Wine Commonsewer|5.15.07 @ 3:54PM|#

...beer for underage Marines returning from deployment and giving commanders the authority to hold an 18-and-up kegger on base upon a unit's return from a war zone.

Wow, now THAT is impressive.

Grotius|5.15.07 @ 4:00PM|#

Other Matt,

When I read that initially I thought that you wrote that you have a few Mamluks around.

G3K|5.15.07 @ 4:21PM|#

"I say that's B.S. Marines are mature enough to know what's legal here."

But not mature enough to maintain their own MySpace profiles?

|5.15.07 @ 4:22PM|#

"I believe Jews can wear mamalukes in the military."

I thought a Mamaluke was that big cartoon dog that I found funny when I was 10.

|5.15.07 @ 5:16PM|#

I thought Mameluke was a horse.

|5.15.07 @ 5:28PM|#

I thought Mama Duke was Bo and Luke's mama.

VM|5.15.07 @ 5:29PM|#

Isn't it the largest city in Wisconsin?

|5.15.07 @ 5:41PM|#

From the Algonquian, Millioke, the "good land".

|5.15.07 @ 5:53PM|#

I thought Thermonuke was a peaceful, energy-producing device.

|5.15.07 @ 7:18PM|#

If they really want to help troops take the edge off after combat, they should throw a Roman-style orgy for troops returning from a war zone. Although if I understand right, the Romans only did that after a victory, which would complicate things.

In all seriousness though, it is good that marines can drink now. Congrats to them.

independent worm

Marines and other military personnel under 21 still can't drink off base in the US, so that argument still has some force.

|5.15.07 @ 8:09PM|#

That's great. Frankly, it's a heads up to the idiocy which is our current drinking law, which says that at 18 you're old enough to go to Iraq and get blown away and kill people, but you're not old enough to sit in a bar and order a beer.

Nothing P.O.'d me faster than greeting my Marine niece after her SECOND deployment to Iraq and her medevacking out, and taking her to a bar in celebration, only to be greeted by a bartender looking for her ID. Being 20 years old she was old enough to have deployed twice but not old enough for her proud aunt to buy her a freaking beer.

|5.15.07 @ 10:16PM|#

Considering who their C-in-C is, they need a drink.

And so do I! *uncorks mead bottle* Skoal!

*Glug*

|5.16.07 @ 12:55AM|#

I suppose if you're going to risk losing body parts or, you know, DEATH, some cheap-ass American piss water is the least they can do.

|5.16.07 @ 1:45AM|#

BLA,

She should have knocked the asshole out, hopped over the counter and poured her own beer... blindfolded, with both hands tied behind her back.

HOOAH!!!!!!!!!!

|5.16.07 @ 10:13AM|#

As a former squid - who has worked with Marines throughout my career - the drinking age for all Marines should be 38.

|5.16.07 @ 10:50AM|#

When I was younger, I partied with some marines. There is still fall-out from that party! I don't think it's changed that much.

Egon|5.16.07 @ 6:34PM|#

It's funny--in my four years in the Suck, I don't recall age ever being an issue. Send someone to the package store for some beer and it's on.

AFA drinking age in general, I say we lower it to 16--as long as driving age jumps to 18 and voting to 21 (if it's not already; I'm too old to care).

|5.22.07 @ 2:26PM|#

hi i agree with everything and i think u all are cool.
thank you for letting me write this comment and showing you how i feel.

thanks again

yours truely,


Ben Dover

|5.24.07 @ 6:14PM|#

how long before they get cut some slack for the REAL treats like pharmies and ghanja? :-)