Army Unit Offers Extra Days Off to Play Grand Theft Auto VI for Reenlisting Soldiers

A U.S. Army battalion in Georgia is trying a novel approach to encourage reenlistment: offering four extra days of leave to soldiers who sign up before the release of the highly anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto VI.

The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, based at Fort Stewart, announced the incentive in a July 28 memo, which was later shared online. Soldiers who commit to at least two more years of service by Nov. 14 will receive a special four-day pass, designed to coincide with the game's launch on Nov. 19.

Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a Fort Stewart spokesperson, confirmed the memo's authenticity and said the idea came from a career counselor who wanted to connect a retention perk to soldiers' interests. The pass is intended to remind eligible troops of their reenlistment deadlines while offering a tangible reward.

Battalion commander Lt. Col. Ryan Hodgson wrote in the memo that the pass is "specifically designed to coincide with the highly anticipated release" of the game. So far, at least 20 of the 130 eligible soldiers have signed up for the bonus.

Grand Theft Auto VI, developed by Rockstar Games, has generated massive buzz since its first trailer in 2023, which showcased a return to the fictional Vice City and a broader Florida-inspired setting. Publisher Take-Two Interactive has called preorders "unprecedented and astonishing." The game's rollout has already faced a hiccup: hackers leaked apparent gameplay footage online this week, ahead of an extended trailer planned for Netflix.