[GT Vander]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

[wideawake]

I agree. Military ID gets you a beer at age 18, civilian ID gets you a beer at 21.

Using a fake military ID to get alcohol means that you give up your real driver's license for three years or until you turn 21, whichever comes last.

[McKayopectate]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

That would make the most sense, especially if people are going to use that argument. Otherwise, I don't want a bunch of 18 old neo-hippy college students drinking!

[jagusafr]

Do you mean that military dependents with IDs should not be included? If so, I agree - if not, I’m not sure how somebody would secure a military member ID without having “completed the required training”.

Colonel, USAFR

[Marie]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

I don't agree. I've got a 19 year old military wife staying with me for a couple of days. Her husband is in Iraq and she's dealing with everything that every other army wife is dealing with. Trust me, this is an *adult* life.

According to the law, she can't have a glass of wine at the end of a terrible day.

It mystified me at that age why I could get married but couldn't have a wine cooler.

[Between the Lines]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

Not such an easy fix. The South Carolina house introduced a bill that would make it legal for anyone in the active military over 18 to drink. The bill got nowhere because under current US law lowering the drinking age for anyone would cut highway funding for the state.

[Poopyhead]

That would be awesome. If we are old enough to die fighting for our country, then we are old enough to die fighting for our country while drunk.

I remember how sometimes my fellow under-aged Marines and I would have stay sober for a day or two while we found a new stash. Drinking age laws are a total crock.

I love the idea - Love it, I tell you!

[IYAS9YAS]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

Nope. Sorry, but if you're an adult, you're an adult, with all rights and responsibilities, including repurcussions for actions. There should be no distinction.

I was enlisted. By the time I got in in 1987, military installations had gone to following local law on drinking age. The underage enlisted I was with did the same thing with alcohol as the underage civilians. Lots of hoarding, binge-drinking and other problems. The exception was when leadership took a blind eye and allowed us to drink, with them, at the NCO club. We were monitored, and could be taken home if we got out of hand. It's telling, when we were allowed to drink without repercussions, most of us kept our cool and we'd have a good time. When we weren't things sometimes got way our of hand.

I think there should be one age of majority for all things adult. Period.

[Citizen Blade]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

I'm not sure I see why we should make the distinction. In terms of being considered adult enough to drink, I don't see any reason to distinguish between an 18 year old in the service, and an 18 year-old entering college, or working in construction.

[Tallguy]

I’d go with that. Show a military ID, you’re good to go.

[AmericaUnite]

Here’s and easy fix. If your 18 and carry an Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard ID card, (that you have earned by completing the required training) your legal. Otherwise, wait till your 21.

Totally agree.

[airborne]

I was 18 and able to drink while stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C., back in 1978.

I came home to PA on leave and was refused at the local bar (21 in PA back then too).

So I agree that if 18 is old enough to die for my country, then 18 should be man enough to have a beer.