Army soldiers in a combat engineering unit in Georgia can get four days off to play the new Grand Theft Auto video game when it’s released in November — but there’s a catch: They must agree to . At least 20 soldiers among 130 eligible service members have taken up the offer presented by the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, a public information officer told The Independent on Wednesday. The incentive was published in a July 28 memorandum, seen by The Independent, that establishes a “special reenlistment incentive program” in an effort to retain troops and boost morale.
Angel Tomko, a public affairs officer with Fort Stewart’s 3rd Infantry Division, told The Independent. Eligible soldiers must reenlist for a minimum of two years or up to six years. The incentive, first reported by Task & Purpose, follows growing challenges to retain mid-career personnel across U.S. military branches while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attributes stable recruitment figures to his “warrior ethos” culture-war overhaul of the armed forces.
Army personnel can tap into reenlistment bonuses often worth tens of thousands of dollars, but unit commanders often turn to other incentives to ensure their troops can stay. Under Donald Trump’s administration, and with Hegseth running the show, the Army has come up with several ideas to retain troops, including tying retention checks to fitness tests. But a four-day pass for a video game — tied to a two- to six-year enlistment period — appears to be a first.
The campaign also follows the administration’s months-long war in Iran and the ongoing disaster aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a crew of more than 5,000 sailors and Marines who have now spent more than 200 days at sea. Sailors’ family members have reported deteriorating conditions on board, including food shortages, broken toilets and moldy showers —plummeting morale and raising critical questions about military preparedness in a wider regional conflict that has killed at least 18 American troops and injured hundreds of others. The anticipated sequel to the long-running blockbuster video game franchise from Rockstar has faced a series of delays.
The game, the series’ 16th overall, is now expected to be released November 19. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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