Drinking Safety at the Barracks

Nightlife can now be a lot more fun as well as safe for army staff and soldiers. Most soldiers had to drive 45 miles to find the hot clubs, single women and a bar that's open past midnight. Most weekend partiers often have too much to drink as well as fun to drive 45 miles back to the barracks. I understand because I had to sleep in my car a few times so I didn't get a DUI. I will also touch on a hot topic about should enlisted soldiers be aloud to drink at 18.

Thanks to commanders Now they can drink, dance and meet singles right around the block from fort Stewart without even leaving the Army post. Deciding too many soldiers were dying behind the wheel after partying out of town, Fort Stewart commanders spent $300,000 turning a defunct sports bar and nightclub that tried to copy the after hours party scene of Savannah's hippest spots. Knowing booze and dance tunes wouldn't be enough, commanders also eased security restrictions at the post front gate to encourage civilians, Mainly women, who get in free also between 10pm and 12pm Fridays and Saturdays, to party at Rocky's, which opened in november.

"We never want to glamorize alcohol, but we've got to be realistic about this," said Col. Todd Buchs, garrison commander. "Knowing they are going to drink we are responsible to provide a safe place for them to drink so we know they are going to be alive the next morning." Better to be safe then sorry.

Traffic deaths among the soldiers rose since soldiers have returned from iraq in the 2003-04 fiscal year. The number of soldiers killed in car crashes went up 28 percent over the past year. Bringing the total to 434 Army soldiers that have died in wrecks outside the combat zone since October 2003. In 13 of the deaths of Fort Stewart soldiers, Alcohol was a factor, Buchs said.

Fort Stewart has done a lot to stop traffic death among soldiers. Buchs said Rocky's has helped extend that streak. Commanders at Fort Stewart noticed that the 19,000 soldiers 3^rd Infantry Division, troops had little nightlife activities nearby. From pitchers of beer to margarita's at the officers'club, the serving of alcohol on Army posts is nothing new.