Army unit times reenlistment perk to Grand Theft Auto VI video game release

Some Georgia-based soldiers could get the OK in November to steal cars, rob banks and revel in the thug life — at least virtually — in one of the decade’s most anticipated video games, so long as they commit to a few more years in uniform.

Officials of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion out of Fort Stewart are offering an extra four days off timed to the Nov. 19 release of Grand Theft Auto VI as an enticement to get soldiers to extend their enlistments by at least two years.

The offer was detailed in a July 28 memo signed by battalion commander Lt. Col. Ryan Hodgson, which Task & Purpose confirmed as authentic after a photograph of it was shared Monday on the Facebook page of U.S. Army W.T.F! Moments.

Any active-duty enlisted soldier assigned or attached to the unit who is eligible for re-enlistment and does so between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14 will be authorized to use the special pass Nov. 20-23, subject to commander approval, the memo states.

Ball and gun gamers are expected to have the ultimate release this November in the form of Grand Theft Auto VI, by far the biggest title this year. If it doesn’t win game of the year, “it will be the biggest drama on the timeline for at least 48 hours,” Marlowe Crawford, known as Ethos on the “Gaming illuminaughty” or “Gi” podcast, said. (Rockstar Games)

The four-day liberty dates coincide with the release of the latest installment of Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto series. The eighth entry in the series, it comes a generation after Grand Theft Auto V was released in September 2013.

The incentive was the brainchild of a career counselor with the engineer battalion, partly to remind soldiers of impending reenlistment dates, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a Fort Stewart spokesperson, told The Associated Press.

The game’s release promises to be among the biggest entertainment events of the year, with publisher Take-Two Interactive’s CEO Strauss Zelnick calling preorder sales “unprecedented and astonishing.”

Set in the fictional U.S. state of Leonida, which heavily resembles Florida, the game gives players the opportunity to virtually explore Vice City with their friends online, engaging in various criminal activities in the game’s underworld.

According to the game’s promotional materials, drenched in neon pinks, blues and oranges reminiscent of the 1980s TV series “Miami Vice,” one of the game’s main characters is an Army veteran-turned-drug runner who sets off on a crime spree with a street-smart girlfriend fresh out of prison.

The game was originally announced in February 2022. Since its first official trailer was released on YouTube in December 2023, it has amassed almost 300 million views. An exclusive, extended look into Grand Theft Auto VI premieres Aug. 28 on Netflix.

The engineering battalion incentive was specifically created to provide time off for the game’s “highly anticipated release,” the memo states.

Its purpose is “to promote retention, boost morale, and reward the continued dedication of the soldiers within the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion.”

A soldier with the 9th Engineer Battalion runs toward a breach during a training rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., June 18, 2026. The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Ga., is offering soldiers a four-day pass timed to the November 19 release of Grand Theft Auto VI for anyone who signs a reenlistment contract between August 1 and November 14. (Kaliya Friday/U.S. Army)

Units often offer internal incentives on top of Army-wide bonuses to help sweeten the pot in encouraging soldiers to stay on. They can include time off, extension of time at their current post and other perks.

As of Monday, 20 of the 130 eligible soldiers in the battalion had taken the command up on the offer and signed on for between two and six years of service, Task & Purpose reported.

Users on social media platforms and online forums such Instagram and Reddit voiced mixed opinions on the offer.

“This commander knows ball,” wrote Facebook user Brian Griffin, responding to the post.

“For re-upping, they should give you a PS5 and GTA 6 with a 4 day pass,” wrote Michael Miser, another Facebook commenter, referring to the PlayStation 5 game console.