Debate Issue: Legal drinking age for military personel should be 18

7 comments have been posted on this debate. Showing 1 through 7 records.

Posted by SocialistRI82 14 years ago

military people are the same as regular citizens. no exceptions should be made for them. 21 for all. boo hoo for all the underage people. wait like everyone else. (you end up doing it anyways so whats the big deal?)

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Posted by Advidoct 14 years ago

I definatly need to disagree nitrogen and for three reasons.

First of all, the assertion that military personel are more mature is very weak. I live on a military base myself and many of the young soldiers are the most immature I've met. Thats not to say that there aren't mature military members but they aren't all mature.

Second, dropping the legal drinking age for military personal would be a huge problem for the military. The military enforces a strict code of conduct, and allowing kids to go drink is going to cause too major problems. One, the military will start to fill up with kids whose only motivation is to buy a legal beer. Two, the military would have to handle many many more misconduct cases... it would only be trouble

Third, in this country we have a tradition of a law applying to EVERYBODY. To bend the rules because the government has deamed a certain group of people "more mature" based solely on their occupation, is absolutely ridiculous and very unfair... the the government starts passing judgement on personal character and that is not ok.

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Posted by goldspurs 14 years ago

the Conservative,

You CANNOT drink on Pendleton legally according to the UCMJ. Drinking establishments use the U.S. laws regardless of where they are at to determine how old you can be to drink on base.

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Posted by Kleptin 14 years ago

Yes. Disarm the country and outlaw alcohol XD

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Posted by proof317 14 years ago

You totally missed the point. O>K>!!!! SO< I can die for my country at 18 but I have to be registered with military to drink?
If my leg get's blown off in the military at age 18 and I am honorably discharged from the military, can I go to my local bar and have a beer?
NO!!
That's just stupid!!!
Either legalize drinking at 18 or change minimum age to enter the armed forces to 21.
BETTER REPLY?

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Posted by the_conservative 14 years ago

except you can't actually die for your country at age 17. The only military contract you have before you are 18 is Reserve and can't see action till you are 18. I know this because i am in that situation now with the Marine Corps. but anyways you are right about the drinking. You can drink at Pendleton when you are 18.

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Posted by proof317 14 years ago

If I can die for my country at 17, if I can loose a limb for my country, are you really telling me that with my war inflicted amputated leg I can't have a shot to reduce the pain?

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Vote Placed by karlynjane 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by bnewman8629 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by wazup 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by lrb2929 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by flasm33 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by SocialistRI82 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by nitrogen85 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by kels1123 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by Vikuta 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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Vote Placed by blond_guy 14 years ago

	nitrogen85	adam_markal	Tied
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12 Next »

		Pro	Tied	Con
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Voting Style:	Open	Point System:	7 Point
Started:	2/21/2008	Category:	Politics
Updated:	14 years ago	Status:	Voting Period
Viewed:	4,311 times	Debate No:	2835

Pro The legal drinking age in the U.S. as we all know, is 21. However, I do believe that while it should be 21 for non-militant personel as a precaution of maturity, it should be legal for those serving in our military today. The whole controversey with the legal drinking age is that it is really a maturity thing, and while others mature more slowly than others and some don't at all, who's to say if you have matured to the point where you would be a responsible drinker? There really is no way to determine this except for the exception of our military. If they were mature enough to join and pass, as well as put there life on the line for our country, shouldn't we allow them to come home and have a beer? To whoever debates me, good luck. And keep in mind that the debate is should we allow military personel too drink, as long as they are 18. Basically giving them three years advance in the drinking age. Report this Argument Con i think that the drinking age should be the same for everyone although i do agree that its gay that you only have to be 18 to be shot at but not drink i however think they should also make the age limit for the army 21 cuz at the age of 18 your still a kid Report this Argument
Pro The minimum age to join the military is 17, with a signiture from at least one parent. Quote: "however think they should also make the age limit for the army 21 cuz at the age of 18 your still a kid" Adam, through out history many boys have fought at very young ages, because while they may still be maturing at 15, 16, and 17, they at least know what they are fighting for, and are abled bodied. But the age to join the military wasn't the debate's topic, so I will skip this. Quote: "cuz at the age of 18 your still a kid" Again, who's to decide when you are a kid? While this may be the legal age for most situations in the U.S., it dosn't mean you all of a sudden recieve a gift of instant maturity and liability on your birthday. Everyone matures at different rates than others, but those who are 'mature' enough to join there countries military, especially at a time of war, are to be considered some what mature. And once they complete bootcamp as well as basic training, the military has most certainly made them mature young men. You have not given me enough to debate with, you only gave me an opinion about the age to join the military. You also gave an opinion as if to say if you can be shot at then you can drink, therefore everyone should be able to drink at 18. Aren't you supposed to be con? Report this Argument Con adam_markal forfeited this round.
Pro Because my opponent never gave me enough to debate with in his last round, and forfeited his second, I am left with little to debate in this last round. So I will close my debate with what I believe and how it will work. When you join the military and are at least 18 but under 21, I believe that by showing your military ID, you should be allowed to drink. Because civilians don't have these ID's, and it would be harder for them to get there hands on them compared to regular drivers liscences. Them joining the military proves right there that they were able to make a mature choice, therefore it should be there choice to drink, not the governments. As for the bar tender, or the guy at the gas station or grocery store, all they have to do is ask for there military ID. That simple. So in closing, they serve our country, then we can serve them beer. Support our troops. Report this Argument Con adam_markal forfeited this round.

Big Issues

Legal drinking age for military personel should be 18