
A U.S. Army battalion in Georgia is offering soldiers a four-day pass to play *Grand Theft Auto VI* upon its release in November if they reenlist for additional service, with at least 20 troops already accepting the deal.
The incentive, outlined in a July 28 memorandum, applies to active-duty enlisted soldiers in the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart who sign reenlistment contracts between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14, 2026. Eligible soldiers must commit to a minimum of two years or up to six years of extended service, according to Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a public affairs officer with the 3rd Infantry Division .
Tomko confirmed the memorandum’s authenticity and stated the pass is timed to coincide with the Nov. 19 release of *Grand Theft Auto VI*, a highly anticipated game with an estimated budget exceeding $1 billion. “The idea was to have a unique incentives program that connects to what soldiers are interested in,” Tomko told *The Independent* and CBS News .
Roughly 130 soldiers in the battalion are eligible for the program, which was proposed by a career counselor seeking creative ways to meet reenlistment goals. The 3rd Infantry Division has previously used unconventional reenlistment ceremonies, including events in Italy, with the Atlanta Falcons, or inside military vehicles, Tomko said .
The offer remains limited to the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion for now, though officials have not ruled out expansion. It complements existing Army retention incentives, such as tuition assistance, duty-station selection, and specialized training like airborne or air assault school .
*Grand Theft Auto VI* is set in a fictional version of Miami and features the series’ first female protagonist. Its predecessor, *Grand Theft Auto V*, has sold over 200 million copies since its 2013 release .
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