A bill was heard at the State House Wednesday that would make it legal for military service members between the ages of 18 and 21 to drink alcohol in Rhode Island. The legislation (H 5603), introduced by Rep. Thomas Winfield (D-Glocester, Smithfield) would apply to active military members with a valid military identification.
Last June, Middetown Police issued several underage drinking summons after they responded to a farewell party for a soldier who was deployed to Afghanistan. A 21-year-old and a 22-year-old, were cited under the social host ordinance.
Writing from Afghanistan on Tuesday, the solider provided the following statement on Patch (corrected for typos), “If I'm getting shipped off to Afghanistan to fulfill my duty as a soldier, willing to lay my life for my friends and other soldiers around me (someone else's daughter, son, dad, cousin) then I think I deserve a drink.”
On the Coventry Patch Facebook page, many agreed:
Rich Collins: Absolutely, they fight for our country...have a drink!
Amy Johnson Hammer: Yes! If you are old enough to make the legal decision to protect this country, you should be deemed responsible enough to have a drink. Why do we trust an 18 year old to fight for is county but not trust them with a beer?
Sasha Baker: Yes if you can die for your country at 18 you should be able drink as well.
Jenn Gould: As long as it's done responsibly. If they can carry a gun, protect our freedom....I think they should be treated as responsible adults.
Paul Blanchette: Yes, but your first DUI and its a loss of license for 5 years.
Sharon Gilleney Nightingale: Yes. We let you hold a gun, take a life, protect our freedom, but can't kick back with a drink? Crazy.
But there were also many people that didn't agree:
Dianne Carroll Bertrand: No - there are other ways we should recognize the military and make things easier for them but underage consumption of alcohol isn't one of them.
Mary Rogowski: No drinking age is 21 leave it that way for everyone,not like these dont drink any way.
Chris Mahoney Parenty: The Law is 21, everyone should follow the same Law. There should not be exceptions.
John Toth: No. Either lower the legal age to 18 or don't. Regardless of military service, laws can't be selective.
Liz Albanesa: No. The Law says 21 and should be kept that way with no exceptions
What do you think? Should active members of the military be able to legally drink in Rhode Island? Sound off in the comments below.
