Commanders of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, believe free time to indulge in the latest entry in the Grand Theft Auto series — in which players commit carjackings, battle police in shootouts and attempt audacious heists — will sway some soldiers to extend their military commitments.
The November 19 release of Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be one of the year's biggest entertainment events.
A career counsellor with the Army engineer battalion hatched the idea with commanders to tie a retention perk to the game's release, in part to remind soldiers of their approaching reenlistment dates, said Lt Col Angel Tomko, a Fort Stewart spokesperson.
"The idea was to have a unique incentives program that connects to what soldiers are interested in," Tomko said.
Battalion commanders wrote in a memo to soldiers that those who sign re-enlistment contracts by November 14 would receive "a special 4 day pass."
"This special pass is specifically designed to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI," battalion commander Lt Col. Ryan Hodgson wrote.
Tomko confirmed the authenticity of the July 28 memo, which was photographed and posted online.
She said at least 20 of 130 eligible soldiers have signed up for the bonus. To qualify, they must commit to serving at least two more years in uniform.
Buzz for Grand Theft Auto VI has been building since 2023, when its first cinematic trailer showed a return to the series' fictional Vice City — a satirical analogue of Miami — and an expanded swath of Florida-based locales that include alligator-infested swamps.
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