Quote:
Originally posted by NickLc24
We are one of the few nations with such a high drinking age. Why? You can join the military, fight for your country and possibly die for your country but you can't have a drink? Good point but guess what? I hope we never see the drinking age decreased. Too many immature kids here in the U.S.
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Good point, but not necessarily true. For the military, those aged 18 to 21 CAN drink beer, if on a military base, at a military facility (such as the enlisted men's club on base, for example). Why? Because a military base is under the jurisdiction of the military and the UCMJ guidelines. Not only that, but specifically for the Navy, should a unit (i.e. ship) be forward deployed and away from any ports-of-call in excess of 120 days, the crew is allowed a ration of beer from time to time, including those under 21, but not under 18.
Unfortunately, when I was in the Navy, I never got a "beer call" on board ship, even though we had been underway for 130 days because the captain decided not to allow this privilege (he was a Sigma Chi alumni as well). Of course, just three weeks after the 120 threshold, we arrived in Perth, Australia...and many people made up for lost time, and paid for it dearly by engaging in really stupid behavior...