Go to war but don't drink. Should the drinking age be changed?

As a 30 something... I find it disturbing that our young men and women can be asked to go to a foreign country and kill (or be killed) yet they can not have a beer.

So my proposal is that we reduce the drinking age back to 18 and create a national drunk driving law that has zero tolerance. If you are 18-21 and get stopped with ANY alcohol in your system it is a minimum 1 month jail (and no license for a year). What say you wise people of YA?
You proposal is somewhat hypocritical. If you are saying 18 year olds are adult and can drink, then why should their punishment be any different than any other adult?

I do agree that if we are giving 18 year olds guns and sending them into the front line, that proves they are adult enough to have alcohol.

But this country thrives on hypocrocisy, so doubtless we won't change the double standard.
That is kinda screwy!


Answers:
it has never mad any sense to me that our government can ask a child of 18yrs old to go and fight but won't let him or her have a damn beer!
I agree with your proposal-zero tolerance on drunk driving and maybe also let them drink on base. Lowering the age could be restricted to only military though because as young people do,the lowering of the drinking age to all could possibly result in more deaths.
Your right though...its absurd that they are asked to go kill(or as you so kindly put it 'or be killed') but can't come home and have a beer.
Age should be reduced to 13 and the age of marriage too
should be reduced too.
Why not do the more sensible thing and increase the age for joining the military to 21, when people are more mature and able to make such an important decision wisely? That will save a lot more lives, don't you think?
As a 30 something also...I agree. If you're old enough to die for your country you should be old enough to enjoy a beer!
shall we promote alcoholism? The idea of reducing the age would be nice if it wasn't for the irresponsibility of youngsters these days. Those who end up enlisting in the military learn the true meaning of consequences; and they don't have mom and dad around to save their rears.

Since maturity is something that some learn at 12 and others learn at 40, a drinking age of 18, I think would be out of the question.
I've heard the enlisted service people are allowed to drink in military bars...not sure if it's true...but that's the best option.
The policy for enlisted drinking ID's should be 'Don't ask, don't tell'
The drinking age can be 18 in any state. However, if its 18, that state wont be recieving federal funding so thats why states keep it at 21. I know its sad that they can fight but cant drink a cold beer. Kids who are 18 19 20 will abuse it and there not responsible enough. Kids never think there going to get caught so of course there going to drink. All we would have is more drunks driving on our streets harming families.
I was in the military prior to turning 21 as well, so I know the feeling.

I had an opinion piece published in my hometown paper regarding this topic. It went something to the effect of the drinking age was raised in the first place due to immaturity on the part of teen drinkers. If we wanted the drinking age lowered again, the teens would have to prove mature enough to handle that.

The military trains people to fight.

Teens don't train themselves to be mature. Especially if they are drunk.

I agree, I think if you are old enough to vote and die for country, you should be able to have a beer.

The problem is, all it takes is one mistake to end a bunch of lives. So if they are caught, fine. But if they aren't caught, and a bunch of teens die in a wreck, or kill others as well, then it is kind of pointless to have zero tolerance.

Until teens grow up on their own, the drinking age will never be lowered.

Now, if teens were required to have an ignition-tied breathalyser, that might be different.but I don't think that would be technologically feasible, given all the different variables.

EDIT: for gcbtrading

At least in the Navy, if you wanted to drink, you had to have ID. Even overseas, on base.

If you got caught being served beer underaged overseas, even if the drinking age in that country is 18 (as it is in most countries), you would still get busted.
I agree one million%, if a MAN or WOMAN is old enough to sign on the dotted line with their lives to protect and serve and die for their country, then they sure as he11 deserve a beer.

P.S make it law for military only.
so whats the relation between your suggestion and the war?
what about the war age and laws?
as asingle law i almost agree with you
The United States Marine Corps was born in a bar !! Hell yes they should let these devil dogs drink ! We've been defending your freedom since 1775, you would think they would let them drink !! Sleep well America, the Marines have your back !!
no ,no,no come to panama city beach for spring break and you'll immediatly change your mind, most but not all of the breakers are 21 or just barely over while the rest are under but are still able to get alchol one way or another and it's six weeks of absolute night mares tons of wrecks and death and stupid accidents where kids try to catch a pass on the 6th floor balcony and end up falling over the railing ,not to mention not one single kid who comes here seems to know what the fuccck a trash can is and insist on just throwing their trash on the beach or street or my driveway and they pee everywhere i mean everywhere in plain sight what the fuccck it makes me nuts and there's porta potties everywhere for them businesses will bring in porta potties just for this reason they just can't handle the effects of alchol now there are also two bike weekends ( motorcycles) more than 30 to 60 thousand people come on these weekends they drink just about the same amount (in dollar sales) as the 6 weeks of hell whoops i mean spring break anyway during this time there are usually about 3 wrecks and no deaths no public peeing or trashing of our town streets and beaches no stupid game of catch on the balcony i firmly believe that the reason is age these bikers are (in the majority ) older in their late 30's to 60's and sometimes even older who like to party still (as do i ) but they can handle doing it responsibilty so i'm gonna say no no no
Drinking alcohol is for weak minded fools.
I agree... how about giving 18, 19, and 20 year-olds with a valid military ID the right to drink? I really think they deserve that extra privilege.

Some of my brothers' friends are in the military (some have already been on multiple tours to Iraq), and they are frequently served even though they are under 21. They hand over their military ID when they're carded (their birth date is on the card), and the bartender usually thanks them for their service to our country, and then serves them the drink. I think that should be legal; it's sad that the bartenders are risking their jobs over it.