Posted on 03/04/2015 4:40:50 PM PST by DogByte6RER
Lawmaker proposes lower military drinking age
• A Maryland senator has proposed a new bill to allow 18-year-old members of the US military to drink alcohol, despite the legal drinking age in the country being 21.
Senator Ron Young, D-Frederick proposed a reduction in the legal drinking age for military members to the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee on Friday.
The bill would permit service members under the age of 21 to drink beer and wine at a bar or restaurant by showing valid military identification, however spirits and off-premise purchases would still be prohibited.
“Is someone can risk their life, why shouldn’t they be able to have a glass of beer or wine with dinner?” Young asked the committee.
His proposal has received support from Hugh Warner, commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3285 in Frederick, who told the Frederick News Post: “If the young man’s able to dodge bullets, he ought be able to vote and take a beer now and then.”
However, a state transportation official estimated Maryland would lose approximately US$32 million in highway funds every year as a result of not complying with the federal uniform drinking age law.
An anti-drink driving organisation called Washington Regional Alcohol Programme has opposed the bill, claiming minimum drinking age laws have saved almost 30,000 people since 1975.
Kurt Gregory Erickson, president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Programme, said younger military members who have served in combat are at greater risk of binge drinking.
“Supporting our troops and supporting the minimum drinking age are not mutually exclusive,” he added.
No other state in the US has passed a law to lower the drinking age for military troops.
Newly released prisoners of war relaxing and drinking beer on the Tokyo Express, Japan
I agree. If you can go to war, get shot, shoot at, and risk your life, you should be able to go into a bar stateside and have a beer.
It ticked me off that on my way to Korea they wouldn’t serve me in the San Francisco airport.
Lawmaker Proposes Lower Military Drinking Age ... I'll drink to that!!!
Agree. They have also been deemed competent to vote. Let ‘em drink beer.
I thought you could drink at the bar on base or use the beer vending machine in the barracks.
The guy in the back holding the beer sure could pass for Paul Newman.
I am sorry but the drinking age should be 18. This 3 year legal limbo is stupid. It hasn’t slowed drinking down one bit in the 18 to 20 year olds and they learn to drink with other children, not in adult situations with older people to lead them.
Sounds good.
Now change the Law so that 18,19 and 20 Year Olds can only Vote if they are in the Military.
I live near Fort Bliss. It was the last base to allow soldiers to drink on base even if they were under 21 but that ended in 2008. After the expansion of Ft. Bliss the TV stations found it meant good ratings if they made a big deal out of every crime, dui, fight, or domestic disturbance that involved a soldier. Given the perception problem the base banned under 21 drinking and forbade soldiers from going to Mexico.
Now THAT is a good idea.
Yup. And the voting age should be raised to 25.
IIRC you can drink at age 18 in the military...just on base.
Nope. At least, not 10 years ago.
I agree.
Good points.
“IIRC you can drink at age 18 in the military...just on base.”
Those days are LONG gone.
Federal highway funds disappearing in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .
Another one of Reagan’s mistakes.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
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