Some soldiers at a Georgia Army installation have a new incentive to stay in uniform: four days off amid the release of one of the year's most anticipated video games.
About 130 eligible soldiers assigned to the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, part of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewartin in southeast Georgia, can receive a special four-day pass if they reenlist before the release of "Grand Theft Auto VI," Army officials told NBC News and CBS News, adding that at least 20 soldiers have already accepted the offer.
The incentive applies to soldiers who sign reenlistment contracts between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14. Eligible troops must commit to an additional two to six years of service, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division,
told NBC News.
The offer is limited to one battalion, but Army officials said it is part of a creative effort to boost retention by connecting with soldiers' interests. USA TODAY contacted Lt. Col. Angel Tomko for comment on Aug. 21, but has not received a response.
How the incentive works
A July 28 Army memo, which has circulated online, authorizes a "special 4-day pass" for eligible soldiers who reenlist before Nov. 14. The leave is intended to coincide with the Nov. 19 release of "Grand Theft Auto VI," with the exact dates to be coordinated between each soldier and their chain of command, according to reporting from The Hill and CBS News.
"The idea was to have a unique incentives program that connects to what Soldiers are interested in," Tomko said in a statement to CBS News. "The command team, in conjunction with the career counselor, wanted to get Soldiers excited to reenlist."
Tomko adds that the battalion's new career counselor proposed the incentive as part of an effort to meet fiscal year 2027 reenlistment goals.
Army says creative incentives are nothing new
The GTA 6 offer is new, but reenlistment incentives are common across the Army. Service members may receive bonuses, preferred duty assignments, specialized training opportunities or other locally approved incentives to encourage them to remain in uniform.
Tomko told The Hill that the 3rd Infantry Division ranked No. 1 in Army retention last year, with career counselors meeting the brigade's retention goals 90 days ahead of schedule. He said the video game incentive reflects the unit's effort to "retain the best talent" through creative programs.
Army has long tried to connect with gamers
The military has targeted gaming communities before as part of its recruiting and retention efforts.
After missing its recruiting goal in 2018 for the first time since 2005, the Army launched an esports team and began appearing at gaming conventions to reach younger Americans, CBS News reported. Army leaders have said skills developed through gaming, including teamwork, quick decision-making and processing information under pressure, can translate to military service.
"Grand Theft Auto VI" is scheduled to launch Nov. 19, marking Rockstar Games' first new mainline entry in the blockbuster franchise since "Grand Theft Auto V" debuted in 2013.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army unit offering 4-day 'GTA 6' leave to soldiers who reenlist
