Rock Hill Herald Logo

S.C. lawmaker wants to lower drinking age for troops | Rock Hill Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
  • Customer Service
  • Mobile & Apps
  • Newsletters
  • Archives

    • All News
    • Local News
    • Local Traffic Cam
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Business
    • Education
    • NIE
    • Crime
    • More News
    • Andrew Dys
    • Nation/World
    • Politics/Government
    • Weird News
    • Databases
    • Down Home Magazine
    • Physicians Directory
    • Fort Mill Times
    • Fort Mill Times Sports
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Submit a Letter to the Editor
    • All Sports
    • Panthers
    • College
    • Winthrop
    • High School
    • High School Football
    • Auto Racing
    • Politics
    • Elections
  • Obituaries
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • To the Contrary
    • James Werrell
    • Palmetto Opinion
    • All Living
    • Community
    • Weddings
    • Engagements
    • Anniversaries
    • Births
    • Religion
    • Family
    • Home & Garden
    • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Books
    • Calendar
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Horoscopes

  • Legals
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds

Local

S.C. lawmaker wants to lower drinking age for troops

By Chuck Crumbo - Chuck Crumbo

    ORDER REPRINT →

January 30, 2008 12:06 AM

COLUMBIA -- If you're old enough to fight, you're old enough to drink.

That's the opinion of state Rep. Fletcher Smith, who is sponsoring a bill that would make it legal for service members younger than 21 to down an alcoholic drink or buy a six pack.

All the service member would have to do is show his or her military identification card to the bartender or store clerk.

State law prohibits the sale or possession of alcoholic beverages by anyone 21.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

It doesn't make sense to prohibit a young soldier, Marine, airman or sailor from having a drink, said Smith, D-Greenville.

"They've proven they're adults," Smith said. "They have the maturity that an average 18-year-old wouldn't have."

However, Smith's bill is opposed by highway safety advocates. And if it becomes law, South Carolina could lose up to 10 percent of its federal highway funds. Last year, that money totaled $287 million.

Troops have varying reactions.

Pfc. Stanton Jackson, who joined the Army National Guard at 19, agrees with Smith.

"If you're responsible enough to sign on the dotted line and serve your country, then you're responsible enough to drink," said Jackson, who recently turned 21. "You get real mature after you go through basic training."

Midshipman William Sandifer, a Naval ROTC cadet at the University of South Carolina, opposes the bill because it would lower the drinking age only for military members.

"You're saying we're more responsible, but it's just our job," said the 21-year-old Sandifer, who joined ROTC when he was 18.

Sandifer supports lowering the drinking age to 18 for everyone. "I was in Japan, where the drinking age is 18, and the place was not falling apart."

Military policy requires S.C. bases to follow state law, meaning alcohol cannot be served to service member younger than 21.

There are exceptions, though.

At Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base, underage service members may drink at special functions if they have the approval of commanders. For example, if there's a ceremonial toast, underage troops could have a glass of champagne.

Soldiers in basic training, regardless of age, aren't allowed to drink alcoholic beverages, said Fort Jackson spokeswoman Karen Soule.

The Marine Corps recently loosened its rules to allow Marines younger than 21 to drink on base but only at functions approved by the commander.

Those events include the Corps' birthday ball, said Lt. Joshia Nicely, spokesman for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island.

"It's very controlled, very regulated," Nicely said. "There are plenty of senior members there monitoring and supervising.

"An 18-year-old guy is going to be an 18-year-old guy."

Underage Marines are not allowed to drink or possess alcohol anywhere else on base, Nicely said. Recruits in boot camp, regardless of their age, are not allowed to drink, he added.

South Carolina raised the drinking age to 21 from 18 in 1984 to comply with federal law.

Safety officials estimate about 23,000 lives or roughly 1,00r a year have been saved since the drinking age was raised.

If the state had not increased the drinking age, it risked losing federal money to build and maintain highways.

Lowering the drinking age for military members could cost the state up to 10 percent of the $287 million in federal road money South Carolina received in 2007, said a spokesman for the Federal Highway Administration.

Safety advocates, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, think Smith's bill is a bad idea.

"MADD supports our military and supports living life to the fullest," said Juliet Smith, spokeswoman for the S.C. chapter. "Let's not create additional dangerous risks. Let's protect our youth and our roadways."

Chuck Hurley, chief executive officer of MADD's national office, said similar bills have been introduced in a handful of states, including Kentucky, Nebraska and Vermont.

"These bills are going up against a mountain of data and have very little public support," Hurley said. "We would be very surprised if these get serious consideration."

However, Smith thinks his bill, which has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, has a chance to win support.

Smith said he decided to write the proposal after hearing the complaints of a 20-year-old Marine who couldn't buy a drink after returning home from Iraq.

"'I risked my life over there and now I can't get a beer,'" Smith quoted the Marine as saying.

"You're going to tell a Marine that you can't get a drink? What kind of crap is that?"

  Comments  

Videos

Listen: York County Sheriff releases 911 audio from Rock Hill triple shooting

York County Sheriffs looking for ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect in Rock Hill shootings

View More Video

Trending Stories

Teen charged in Rock Hill sexual assault found driving woman’s stolen car, police say

February 15, 2019 08:51 AM

1 shot, seriously hurt after someone fired at car on I-77 near Carowinds theme park

February 14, 2019 09:22 PM

Fort Mill greenway visitors left with almost $10,000 in credit card charges, police say

February 14, 2019 12:41 PM

‘Please hurry:’ Gun stolen from Rock Hill shooting victim’s house, police say

February 15, 2019 03:52 PM

Train splits truck in half in Chester County SC wreck

February 14, 2019 12:55 PM

Read Next

Teen charged in Rock Hill sexual assault found driving woman’s stolen car, police say

Crime

Teen charged in Rock Hill sexual assault found driving woman’s stolen car, police say

By John Marks and

Hannah Smoot

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 08:51 AM

A Rock Hill teen has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint near Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, police said. He was found driving her stolen car with five passengers.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LOCAL

‘Please hurry:’ Gun stolen from Rock Hill shooting victim’s house, police say

Crime

‘Please hurry:’ Gun stolen from Rock Hill shooting victim’s house, police say

February 15, 2019 03:52 PM
We’ve canceled the ‘Non Sequitur’ comic strip in The Herald and want you to know why

Latest News

We’ve canceled the ‘Non Sequitur’ comic strip in The Herald and want you to know why

February 15, 2019 12:23 PM
Fort Mill greenway visitors left with almost $10,000 in credit card charges, police say

Crime

Fort Mill greenway visitors left with almost $10,000 in credit card charges, police say

February 14, 2019 12:41 PM
Where is Charlotte sportscaster Chuck Howard now? Try a Fort Mill liquor store

Business

Where is Charlotte sportscaster Chuck Howard now? Try a Fort Mill liquor store

February 14, 2019 12:59 PM
1 shot, seriously hurt after someone fired at car on I-77 near Carowinds theme park

Latest News

1 shot, seriously hurt after someone fired at car on I-77 near Carowinds theme park

February 14, 2019 09:22 PM
Fort Mill girl was scared when cops pulled over her dad. Here’s what she’s doing now.

Local

Fort Mill girl was scared when cops pulled over her dad. Here’s what she’s doing now.

February 14, 2019 09:30 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Rock Hill Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Advertising Information
  • Place Obituary, Celebration
  • Place Classified, Legal
  • Local Deals
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story