An Army unit at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is offering active-duty soldiers a specialized four-day pass to play the video game "Grand Theft Auto VI" upon its release later this year. An Army spokesperson confirmed Wednesday that the incentive is available to members of the 9th Brigade Engineering Battalion, which is part of the 3rd Infantry Division. According to a memo circulated online, the pass is designed to coincide with the launch of the game.
To qualify for the incentive, soldiers must sign a reenlistment contract between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14 for a minimum of two years and up to six years. Lieutenant Colonel Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division, stated that the program was designed to connect with the interests of soldiers and generate excitement regarding reenlistment.
As of the announcement, 20 soldiers have already selected this incentive as part of their reenlistment process. Tomko reported that a total of 130 soldiers are currently eligible for the program. The military typically uses a variety of incentives to retain personnel, including choice of duty station, retraining opportunities, college benefits, or financial bonuses that can exceed $100,000 for specific roles.
A soldier who accepts this offer will notice a change in their immediate work schedule following the release of the game, which is scheduled for later this year. Instead of their regular military duties, the authorized four-day pass allows them to remain off-duty to play the game without using their standard accrued leave. This represents a shift in how local commanders utilize "special passes"—which are short-term leaves usually granted for performance or administrative reasons—to address recruitment and retention challenges within a specific demographic.
The use of a video game release as a formal reenlistment incentive sets a precedent for how military units might tailor recruitment tools to the specific hobbies of their personnel. While larger incentives like six-figure cash bonuses or specific station assignments remain standard across the Army, this local initiative tests whether lifestyle-based rewards can influence career decisions. The success of this program at Fort Stewart may influence whether other units adopt similar culturally-specific incentives. The current offer remains open until the Nov. 14 deadline.