US Army battalion offers 4-day pass to play GTA VI for soldiers who reenlist

Soldiers at a Georgia combat engineer unit can receive official time off to play the new Grand Theft Auto game when it launches this fall — but only if they reenlist for additional years of service.

The unusual incentive is being offered by the commander of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, according to a memo circulated on social media that was confirmed by Army officials.

Details of the Offer

According to the memo signed by Lt. Col. Ryan Hodgson, the battalion commander, soldiers who reenlist between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14, 2026, will receive a "special 4-day pass" that is "specifically designated to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the video game 'Grand Theft Auto VI' (GTA 6)."

The dates of the four-day pass will be coordinated between soldiers and their chain of command but will align with the game's official release, the memo states.

According to Rockstar Games, the developer of GTA 6, the game will be available Nov. 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox gamers. The Grand Theft Auto franchise is among the most popular video game series of all time, featuring an open-world format that combines mafia and crime-related missions with side quests involving carjackings and general mayhem behind the wheel.

Context and Motivation

The offer highlights a challenge local commanders face in retaining soldiers. While Army-wide bonuses worth tens of thousands of dollars are often available for those considering reenlistment, local commanders have limited options to close the deal with soldiers in their formations. Although extra time off or opportunities to attend training schools are frequently used as enticements, career counselors sometimes need to get more creative.

Army officials said the engineer battalion's new career counselor pitched the idea to the command team as something that "speaks" to younger soldiers and could kickstart the unit's drive for its fiscal year 2027 reenlistment goals, which begin in October.

"The command team, in conjunction with the career counselor, wanted to get soldiers excited to reenlist," said Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson. "The command team thinks eligible soldiers are more aware that they are in their window for reenlistment and engage their leadership and the career counselor earlier to see what is available."

Participation and Broader Trends

Army officials said 20 of the 130 eligible soldiers in the battalion had accepted the offer as of Monday, signing up for between two and six more years of service. The reenlistment contract option is open to the entire engineer battalion, which includes soldiers in engineering, signal intelligence, human resources, and medical specialty roles.

Over the past year, the Army has introduced several unique incentive programs to encourage soldiers to stay longer for more money, including tying retention checks to yearly fitness tests and daily job performance, and allowing warrant officers to "bid" against one another for higher bonuses.