iStockphoto / Rockstar Games
Plenty of people will be taking some time off from work to play Grand Theft Auto VI when it comes out in November. However, the commander of an Army battalion in Georgia is hoping some vacation days linked to the release of the video game will give some of his soldiers extra incentive to reenlist.
We’re less than a month away from the 13th anniversary of the release of Grand Theft Auto V, the video game that has the distinction of being the most profitable form of entertainment ever created thanks to the more than $10 billion in revenue it’s generated since it came out in 2013.
We’re also around three months away from the release of Grand Theft Auto VI, the highly-awaited follow up that has the potential to outdo its predecessor thanks to the insane amount of hype surrounding a title that is on track to avoid any more of the delays that pushed a release date initially scheduled for 2025 to November 19th of this year.
There’s nothing that suggests the new installment won’t live up to the lofty expectations surrounding it based on Rockstar’s impressive track record, and plenty of employers are going to have to deal with some staffing issues when gamers finally get the chance to immerse themselves in the fictional Florida-inspired state of Leonida and a reimagined version of Vice City.
There’s also one Army commander who apparently decided to think outside the box when it comes to his reenlistment efforts.
An Army battalion in Georgia is seemingly offering soldiers four days off to play Grand Theft Auto VI if they reenlist
Members of the United States Army and other military branches are able to take advantage of cash bonuses they can earn if they decide to reenlist before their service obligation is up, and it would appear those who currently belong to the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia can benefit from a unique offer if they opt to reup.
On Monday, a social media account devoted to “U.S Army WTF! Moments” shared a picture of a memo that was purportedly posted by Lt. Col. Ryan D. Hodgson, the commander of that battalion, with the subject “Special Reenlistment Incentive—Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) 4-Day Pass.”
The memo states that any soldier who agrees to reenlist between the start of August and November 14th will be able to take advantage of a four-day pass “specifically designed to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the video game,” one they can play on a stretch of days off between November 20th and 23rd,
It’s worth noting I’ve been unable to verify if the memo is authentic, but there doesn’t seem to be any glaring red flags. Some commenters suggested the formatting of the document was slightly suspect, but as Kotaku notes, Hodgson took control of the battalion last month, and forging his signature for the sake of a bit is a bit of a risky move.
Assuming it is real, I can’t knock the hustle.