RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Grand Theft Auto 6 is shaping up to be one of the biggest video game launches in history. And if you needed more proof of that, well, here's a memo reportedly from an Army base in Georgia that appears to offer some time off to play GTA 6 at launch if soldiers re-enlist before a certain date.
On August 17, the Facebook/Instagram page "USA Army WTF!? Moments" shared a photo of a memo offering time to play GTA 6 as a re-enlistment incentive to soldiers of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion. The memo was apparently posted somewhere in Fort Stewart, Georgia. The image was then quickly shared on the Grand Theft Auto subreddit and spread from there . The memo is directed to "All Personnel, 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion (9th BEB)" with the subject line: "Special Reenlistment Incentive – Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) 4-Day Pass."
This four-day pass, valid from November 20-23, is intended "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," explains the reported memo. Only "active-duty enlisted soldiers assigned or attached" to the 9th BEB are apparently eligible for this bonus. This is reportedly not an Army-wide initiative or something available to all enlisted service members at the base.
The memo includes more details about the deal and its connection to the upcoming launch of GTA 6 on November 19.
"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 was signed by Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Hodgson, who took over command of the 9BEB in July 2026 .
Kotaku has not been able to verify the authenticity of this memo. However, many details within the memo check out, including the commander's name, the communication numbers included, the formatting of the memo, and other details pointed out by enlisted soldiers on Reddit and elsewhere. While it is possible this is a prank or a hoax, it would be quite an elaborate one. In the past, soldiers online have talked about how desperate Army commanders can be when it comes to keeping re-enlistment numbers up, often offering various incentives like extra time off and other bonuses. As a result, many soldiers online weren't surprised to see a commander using GTA 6 as one more way to get enlisted soldiers to stick around for a few more years.
Kotaku has contacted the Army and Fort Stewart for clarification and reached out to some of the people who first shared the memo online.
Between now and November 19, I expect workplaces, government facilities, and other institutions and groups will be figuring out ways to work around GTA 6 's launch, which is likely to cause a massive number of "sick days" during that month, or use it to their benefit to bring in employees or recruits.
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