Army Battalion Allegedly Grants Time Off for GTA 6 as Re-Enlistment Incentive

Grand Theft Auto 6 is gearing up to be one of the most monumental video game releases ever. If you need further evidence, a memo from a military base in Georgia has surfaced, suggesting that soldiers could get time off to dive into GTA 6 at launch if they re-enlist by a specific date.

On August 17, a social media page shared a photo of a memo that offers time to play GTA 6 as a re-enlistment perk for members of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion. This memo was reportedly posted at Fort Stewart, Georgia, and quickly made its way to the Grand Theft Auto subreddit, gaining traction from there. It addresses “All Personnel, 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion (9th BEB)” with the subject line: “Special Reenlistment Incentive – Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) 4-Day Pass.”

The memo outlines a four-day pass, valid from November 20-23, designed “to establish a special re-enlistment incentive program to promote retention, boost morale, and reward the continued dedication of the Soldiers within the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion.” Only “active-duty enlisted soldiers assigned or attached” to the 9th BEB are eligible for this incentive, which is not an Army-wide initiative available to all service members at the base.

Further details in the memo clarify the connection to the upcoming launch of GTA 6 on November 19. It states, “Any Soldier who signs a re-enlistment contract between 1 August 2026 and 14 November 2026 will be authorized for a special 4-day pass. This special pass is specifically designated to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6). The exact dates of the 4-day pass will be coordinated between the Soldier and their chain of command, aligning with the official release date of the game November 20-23 2026.”

The memo is signed by Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Hodgson, who took command of the 9th BEB in July 2026.

While the authenticity of this memo hasn’t been confirmed, many details align with known facts, including the commander’s name and the memo’s formatting, as noted by enlisted soldiers on Reddit and other platforms. Although it could be a prank, it would be quite an elaborate one. Soldiers have previously discussed how eager Army commanders can be to boost re-enlistment numbers, often offering various incentives like extra time off. Thus, many were not surprised to see a commander leveraging GTA 6 as a strategy to encourage soldiers to extend their service.

In the lead-up to November 19, it’s likely that workplaces, government facilities, and other organizations will be strategizing on how to navigate the launch of GTA 6, anticipating a surge in “sick days” that month or finding ways to use the excitement to attract employees or recruits.