If 18 is old enough to lift a weapon in defense of your country, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston says, it's old enough to lift a cold beer on base.
The Savannah Republican has introduced legislation that would let service members younger than 21 drink beer and wine at post restaurants and clubs.
People as young as 18 may enlist but now must be 21 or older to consume alcoholic beverages on post.
Kingston said he's thought about the matter as he's stood on the tarmac of Hunter Army Airfield as soldiers prepared to deploy for combat.
"There they are in their rucksacks," he said. "And they're going off to operate Abrams tanks and Black Hawk helicopters and squeeze the triggers on their M-4 rifles.
"We tell them they're responsible enough to do that and risk their lives, but not responsible enough to have a beer with their steak on post. I think that's an insult."
He said most people acknowledge many people under 21 drink even though it's illegal in most states.
"Society tends to wink at what we know is going on," he said. "I want us to address the issue responsibly when it comes to our military personnel."
He said he tried to tack a similar measure onto a measure that authorizes military programs earlier this year, but wasn't allowed to.
Kingston's bill only applies to situations where beer or wine is intended for immediate consumption. It would not let personnel buy it at post stores and take it to drink somewhere else.
There was no response Wednesday to requests for comment from spokesmen for Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield or the Department of Defense.
Kingston spokesman Chris Crawford estimated that, as of March, about 28,000 of the military personnel deployed to Iraq were under 21.
The legislation was introduced and referred to the House Armed Services Committee on July 29, just before Congress recessed. It's due to reconvene later this month.
So far, Kingston has only one co-sponsor for his proposal, Gene Taylor, D-Miss.
"But we expect that number to increase once we're back in session," Crawford said.
But Kingston can expect support from Chatham County's other congressman, John Barrow of Savannah.
"I agree with Jack," Barrow said Wednesday. "I think if soldiers are old enough to fight alongside their fellow soldiers, they're old enough to have a beer with their fellow soldiers."
Barrow's GOP opponent, Ray McKinney, is also on board.
"It only makes sense that people who are willing to die for their country should be able to have a beer or glass of wine on base, especially in time of war," McKinney said.
But the bill faces a potential roadblock - Joe Wilson, R-S.C. Wilson is the top-ranked GOP member the Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
"Although I normally see eye to eye with Congressman Kingston," Wilson said, "I oppose this particular piece of legislation. My concern is that lowering the drinking age for active duty service members could lead to alcohol abuse."
Kingston said he respects Wilson's views but he hopes he will at least help the legislation be considered.
"If people are solidly against it, fine," Kingston said. "But I really want a debate on it. Let's bring it to the House floor. I think it's a proper subject of debate.
"I think we owe it to the people who are helping create our freedom to have a mature discussion about theirs."
i say let them drink, but on post only. i work a second "job" (since 2004) at a local watering hole downtown. free beer and more money in my pocket at the end of the night!
anyhoo, back to the point. the young (21-25) voluntary armed forces servicemen that come to wet their whistle are usually out of control by the time they show up at 10 o'clock and are most always in a group of about 5 guys looking to fight. keep it on post where their actions can be monitored by the institution that trained them to be machines.
the older military folks that come in are typically most respectful and not looking for trouble.
or they could always raise the recruitment age to 21.
Aprox. 60,000 Americans are killed on our highways each year, DUI contributes to many of this number of dead. This country needs fewer drinkers,not more. Alcohol is the most dangerous drug ever produced by man. If you equate a numerial figure to the damage caused to society by alcohol it stands far and above all other drugs combined. I say tax alcohol to its demise.
Making laws that discriminate against citizens of the United States because of age should, and is, illegal. Eighteen year olds can carry mass weapons of destruction and kill in the military, marry and have babies, vote, but they are not allowed to drink? I know that MADD would love for abolition to return, but alcohol is a legal substance since prohibition was repealed. Any citizen of the land should be allowed to partake should they so desire. A class action discriminatory suit should be filed against all the age discriminatory governments.
At 18 you are a legal citizen with voting rights. You can enter into contracts and so on. I really don't see how you can limit citizens in any way based on age. If we are going to do that, should anyone over 80 be driving around our new sphagetti junction on I-20 and Bobby Jones?
Correction: Let them drink LEGALLY. 18-21 year-olds in the service will find a way to consume alcohol with or without the law...
Soheyr and Riverman1... should 18 year olds be allowed to carry handguns?
ICowboyFan, absolutely. That's almost a silly question since now they are not only carrying but firing much larger weapons in combat as they protect our country. They are adult citizens and no right or privilege should be denied any of them without due cause.
i can hear it already... "but i dont like beer or wineeee... im being discriminated... waaaah"
Riverman1...18 year old servicemembers are are trained and evaluated every step of there training before they are entrusted with a weapon. There is a big difference between an 18 year old service member and your everyday 18 year old thug on the street.
ICowboyFan, I'd never call section of our population thugs. The average 18 year old is anything, but a thug. If that's your only argument, you lose.
If we really wanted to get right down to it in terms of who we should deny privileges to there are many other considerations. If you could give IQ tests to everyone and not let the bottom 25% drive or drink alcohol, you would be better off. As I said before, most 70 year old's don't have the eyesight, coordination and reflexes to drive busy fast highways. But the reason we can't start limiting people based on age or intelligence is because it's discrimination aimed at a segment of the population. It's simply illogical to single out those under 21.
A well raised and taught 18 year old is not the same as "your everyday 18 year old thug on the street " Cowboy.
Riverman1... would you feel comfortable knowing that any 18 year old you could come in contact with might be carrying a handgun?
What if the bottom 25% is 75% of the population Riverman? Don't get me wrong, I like the idea.
The question was "should 18 year olds be allowed to carry handguns"? Any 18 year old well raised and taught or not.
Cowboy- The thugs don't follow laws to begin with.They're gonna do what they want regardless. Knowing that, why would you not want them to carry?
PWRSPD... so we should make it easier for them to carry... thug or not.
Let all 18 year olds drink. They can vote, serve in the military, be drafted and face adult legal consequences.
It's a stupid law. Enforcement of it is a waste of money.
Cowboy, what if an 18 year old young woman worked and lived in Atlanta ? Should this 18 year old woman be allowed to carry a gun to protect herself if she has no criminal record, etc.? Or should she be denided the ability to protect herself based on her age, even though she is of legal adult age?
Back on the subject, any 18 year old that wants to drink can easily get booze, enlisted or not. I say let em drink. I can see a bunch of soldiers sitting around drinking and telling the ones under 21," sorry pal, your to young". Yea right.
Cowboy, I THINK an 18 year old can legally carry a weapon in his/her car now in Georgia.
Pwrspd, yeah, what if the 18,19 or 20 year old was the sergeant and the others were privates? Crazy huh?
Thugs already carry Cowboy. Where do you think the whole saggy pants issue came from? It came from thugs pants saggin due to the weight of the gun.
The other day I blasted Judge Wade Padgett pretty hard because he wouldn't clarify the gun laws on the air. He even said it could be illegal for you to carry a weapon from your house to your car.
But one thing he said made a lot of sense. He says he never sees an officer arrest someone for having a gun in the wrong place in the car or something like that. He says officers are understanding and don't hassle upstanding citizens on such matters.
Saggy pants originated in jail because inmates werent allowed to have belts...
That makes sense 79, guess it depends who you ask. But either way...
I think here is 1 thing we can all agree on... these are brave 18 year olds in the service who are risking their lives so we can have this open discussion, rather we agree or not. I have to question Kingston intentions on this matter. "There they are in their rucksacks," he said. "And they're going off to operate Abrams tanks and Black Hawk helicopters and squeeze the triggers on their M-4 rifles.
"We tell them they're responsible enough to do that and risk their lives, but not responsible enough to have a beer with their steak on post. I think that's an insult." How about ... what can I do to insure their safe return home. Make sure they have the best equipment and end this brutal war. Maybe he is after th 18 year old vote.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
