Should 18 year olds in the military be allowed to drink alcohol?

I've heard the same and I think that revenues are the reason that so-called underage drinking is useless. imho

I will have to respond with a yes !!! they are expected to die for their country if needed so they can drink. I always looked the other way when soldiers would try to sneak alcohol into the barracks.

I am glad Glen. Thanks!

I technically came of age to drink legally three times, I joined the Army at age 17 1/2, parental permission required. I was not old enough to drink on post until I turned 18, but I was assigned to germany where if I could lay money on the counter I could drink. I did not turn 18 for two months so until then I was not of age to drink on post. I turned 18 and for the second time I became of age to drink. When I separated and came home to California I was not of age to drink for 6 months, Jan 14 1966 I finally for the third time I was of age to drink again. My time in Germany taught me that having restrictions on drinking age do not work. The Germans because of lack of clean drinking water drink alcohol from an early age. Getting drunk is a sign of immaturity not adulthood. Most 5-6 year olds know better then to get drunk. Tipsy is okay, we would call it feeling good. But drunk, passed out, blacked out were a total embarrassment to the family and friends and was not tolerated. Wish we were so wise.

Exactly.  It is out of freaking control.  You have to have an Iron MF fist to keep some of these kids from being drunk assholes; because there are nothing but drunk assholes that do nothing but get wasted as soon as they get off work. 

When I was stationed at Fort Bliss, we had more soldiers die from dietary supplements to reduce weight or gain muscle mass, than in alcohol related incidents (and the drinking age for military personnel was 18 on post in 1999).  And there were by far in my Brigade more Drug UCMJ actions than alcohol.

Alcohol is at the core of many problems in the military, but I firmly believe that it is more due to the fact that we have made it illegal for those under 21. Soldiers, other service members and civilians, alike, see 21 as the age where they can legally cut loose and drink all they want. They may have been drinking illegally up to this point, but I think there would be less binge drinking at younger ages, if there wasn't the social stigma attached to it. Personal responsibility, and being taught that responsibility by the previous generation, is where a lot of the problems lie, not just in the fact that alcohol seems to be the root of it. Teach the younger generation, at a younger age, about being responsible, then allow them to make their own mistakes. If you're gonna allow them to drive 2,000+ lb vehicle, under your supervision, at the age of fifteen, then why can they not be allowed to drink at home, moderately, under your supervision, at the same age? Telling someone they aren't old enough to do something, only makes them want to be that age so much sooner, making it seem as though all their own issues will begin to be resolved when they hit that magical age. Tighter rules and restrictions only tend to increase the problems they are attempting to decrease. I don't think an age limit helps, but rather hinders by removing the ability of the younger generation to learn moderation and responsibility.
Just my thoughts... can't say I have any research or statistics to back it up.

Maintaining yourself means taking responsibility for your actions and limiting the negative influences in your life. Whether it is legal or not is irrelevant, since underage drinking is going to occur, in and out of the military. By legislating a minimum age limit, we have taken the freedom of folks to choose for themselves away. Without an age limit, Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and civilians would be able to make their own choice. I think a lot of the problem is the social stigma placed against drinking. Younger folks want to do it because it has become a mark of being an 'adult'. If they are drinking, then they must be of the legal age, right? They must be responsible enough to handle it? Perception of drinking is probably the worst thing in our society. Remove the stigma and many of the problems will, sooner or later, begin to fall to the wayside. There will always be those that abuse alcohol, whether it is legal or not, however the same consequences for abuse would still be there, whether there is an age limit or not. Once again, I think that parents (in general) need to take a more proactive role in their children's upbringing. Instead of allowing them out at all hours of the night, not knowing which set of 'friends' they are hanging out with, spoiling them by spending an outrageous amount of money on the new car they got because they passed their drivers' exam, they should be teaching them the correct way to interact with the rest of society.
Back to the "Maintain... myself". A service member is, ultimately, responsible for themself. By taking away the freedom (or right) to choose whether or not they can enjoy the use of alcohol or any other vice, you are basically saying that they are not responsible enough to handle it. Seems a bit hypocritical to be told I couldn't handle a beer, then told to take an M4, 210 rds of 5.56mm and the god-awful amount of equipment, to walk patrol in some third world nation, in an attempt to assist this other country in gaining the same freedoms I am already afforded.
If we use the excuse that it is "bad" for you, then there are so many other harmful activities that could be taken away, just because of the possibility of it causing problems with individual and unit readiness. It is the individual that makes the choice (right or wrong), that affects their own life and their own individual readiness. I have to agree with SGT McMahon, so many other things could also be construed as detrimental to unit and individual readiness, then why would it stop at alcohol...

SGT McMahon,

Having a great family and two energetic kids made me smile around the world thinking about them. That is just one positive aspect of life. There are far more negative effects. Cost associated with drinking, GERD issues, other digestive issues, performance degrading events centered around poor decision making while exponentially accekarating damage through alcohol use. Limited, moderated, in a controlled environment it's ok. If done as a free for all, it's a terrible idea.

Not all who drink are alcoholics and not all family's are "Healthy"

No problem. I concur with your assessment although I disagree with the last sentence. ALL personnel, regardless of age, should act like an adult whether they are actually treated as such or not. Granted, it is more difficult for the younger, less mature, service-members to be this way when they DO get babied or mistreated. Nevertheless, the onus and choice rests with the individual.

I don't normally vote a thumbs down, but I made your comment an exception. Anyone who joins the military to have a beer is an idiot and would be riffed out quickly. Unless the military is really pussified, Basic is the first line of defense to rid the military of Dead Weight. If by chance they do make it through basic, the trainee now know that He/She has more responsibilities that his/she contemporaries who are back on the Block. Also, the troops today run the risk of going to places that WILL put them into Harms Way, and They may in fact be Maimed or Killed. I think that ANYONE whom has been place into a situation where His/Her life is in question, DESERVES not only a fk'n Beer, but the admiration and respect for their Service.

Sorry Ft. Campbell Sgt. You need to do a little more recon and recess you position.

BTW: Thank You for YOUR service.
Cheers.

Don't put in statistics of DUI's of senior NCOs and Officers because E6 and below couldn't drive unless they were command sponsored. They were still getting trouble more then Most leaders. I would say that majority of alcohol related incident with Soldiers that are in between the age of 18 and 25 years old. 

PFC Mullins, you are naive, that is not a bad thing I dont think. It means you have surrounded yourself with like minded peers who think as you do. You judge your age group off of the peers you see daily. I judge your age group as a 29 year old NCO who has no friends who are 13-19 to base my feelings on. I see all teenagers for what they are and nothing more. I have no vendetta against this age group, I made poor choices like most of them and that is why they have my sympathies. It still does not erase the fact that the recent generation of teens seem to care less and less about service to their country unless they are getting by with something extra.  I commend you for taking the Oath, but I was talking about young men and women joining for the wrong reasons, not currently serving teens. There is a huge difference between the two categories.  You have to take my comment for what it is not read between the lines there is nothing between the lines.