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US Army unit offers 4-day pass for soldiers who reenlist to play GTA VI
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The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is offering soldiers a special four-day pass to coincide with the release of Grand Theft Auto VI if they reenlist between August 1 and November 14, 2026. The incentive, proposed by the unit's career counselor, aims to boost reenlistment rates among younger soldiers. As of Monday, 20 of 130 eligible soldiers had accepted the offer, signing up for two to six additional years of service. The pass aligns with the game's official release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox. The Army has used other creative incentives recently, such as tying retention bonuses to fitness tests and job performance.
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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 and confirmed by Army officials.
The Offer
The memo, signed by Lt. Col. Ryan Hodgson, states that soldiers in the unit who reenlist between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14, 2026, will receive a "special 4-day pass" specifically designated to coincide with the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6).
Key details from the memo:
- The four-day pass dates will be coordinated between soldiers and their chain of command
- The pass will align with the game's official release
- According to Rockstar Games, GTA 6 will be available on Nov. 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox
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.
Why This Incentive Exists
The offer highlights a challenge local commanders face in encouraging soldiers to reenlist. While Army-wide bonuses worth tens of thousands of dollars are often available, local commanders have limited options to close the deal with soldiers in their formations.
Common local incentives include:
- Extra time off
- Opportunities to attend training schools
However, 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 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."
Results So Far
As of Monday, 20 of the 130 eligible soldiers in the battalion had accepted the offer, 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 jobs.
Broader Context
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
- Having warrant officers "bid" against one another for higher bonuses
Source
Task & PurposeWestern
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U.S. Army unit offers GTA VI release pass to boost reenlistment