A US Army unit is offering re-enlisting soldiers a special four-day pass coinciding with the release of Grand Theft Auto VI in November. Around 20 have already taken the offer.

It is unclear how many of the United States Army’s active duty soldiers might describe themselves as “gamers,” but one unit is counting on the fact that a few may reenlist if they know they’ll get some screen time when the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) comes out in November. The US Army’s 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is offering a special four-day pass to current soldiers who sign a reenlistment contract between August 1 and November 14.

The July 28-dated memo, which has circulated online, states that “the exact dates of the 4-day pass will be coordinated between the Soldier and their chain of command.” However, it is assumed that most soldiers will want to take it shortly after November 19, the game’s release date.

The memo was signed by Lt. Col. Ryan Hodgson, the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion commander.

A total of 130 soldiers were eligible within the battalion, and 20 have already selected the incentive, The Hill reported, citing Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division. It is unclear what role the free time played in their decision to re-enlist, but it couldn’t have hurt.

“The battalion has a new career counselor who approached unit leadership with an idea for an updated creative incentives program to reach FY27 reenlistment goals. Eligible Soldiers must reenlist for a minimum of two years, up to six years,” Tomko said.

Beyond the game time, the United States Army continues to be creative in retaining talent, and that can include exemptions from certain duties and better parking privileges. The Army, as with the other branches of the US military, continues to employ retention bonuses that target high-demand fields and those with critical skills. There has been a focus in recent years on hard-to-fill Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), including in cyber, intelligence, and aviation. 

The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division Knows What Its Soldiers Want

For 2026, the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division’s 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, is getting a bit creative, knowing that some soldiers may want to settle down with a controller later this year.

“The 3rd Infantry Division was the No. 1 division within the Army for retention last year with career counselors ‘completing mission within this brigade 90-days ahead of their mission requirement,’” The Hill reported, citing Tomko.

GTA 6 is the latest title in the popular Grand Theft Auto video game series. Produced by New York-based Rockstar Games, it is set to be released for the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X/S in November, with PC release delayed until 2027 or early 2028.

As with past GTA titles, players will take the role of a career criminal navigating an immersive open world, where they can take part in a variety of dubiously legal activities. It is already the most anticipated video game release of the year; preorders opened on June 25, with the game priced at $79.99 for a standard edition and $99.99 for the “ultimate” version, including “an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and action threaded across all aspects.”

The news of the US Army’s recruiting effort involving the game comes as video footage was leaked online, with some fans worried that online posts could spoil the story.

The US Army Has a Great Relationship with Video Games

The Army has what can only be described as a special relationship with video games, which are highly popular with young men, its main recruiting demographic. The service continues to maintain an active official “esports” team, which was created as a way to connect with younger generations, build awareness about military service, and highlight diverse career paths available within the military.

The team of active-duty soldiers and reservists competes in tournaments and attends gaming competitions around the country. Given the lack of a competitive esports league for GTA—not to mention its questionable ethics—the team has tended to focus instead on multiplayer titles such as Counter-Strike 2, Rocket League, and Rainbow Six Siege.

For nearly 20 years, the US Army also produced and supported America’s Army, a video game series that was distributed as a free download for the PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and various mobile platforms. It was launched on July 4, 2002, as a recruiting tool, and remained highly popular for years. However, as the military evolved its digital outreach and the active player base declined, the US Army shut down the final version in May 2022.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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