Army unit is offering soldiers time off to play Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) when it is released in November, as part of a reenlistment incentive. A written directive to the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart Georgia, signed by U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Ryan D.
Hodgson, states that “any soldier who signs a reenlistment contract between 1 August 2026 and 14 November 2026 will be authorized for a special 4-day pass.” An image of that directive has been shared across social media platforms and has quickly gone viral, prompting discourse and speculation about whether the directive was authentic. In comments shared with Newsweek over email, a spokesperson for the 3rd Infantry Division of Public affairs said: “Yes, this memorandum is a real.” “The leadership, in conjunction with the career counselor, wanted to get Soldiers excited to reenlist,” the spokesperson added. There are 130 Soldiers eligible within the battalion and 20 have selected this incentive as part of their reenlistment,” they said.
The spokesperson noted that their comments applied specifically to their organization and not the army as a whole. So not all soldiers will be able to look at taking leave for a vacation in Leonida. Newsweek has contacted Take Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, via email for comment.
The memo that has circulated online refers specifically to soldiers in the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Georgia. The leave is capped at four days, per the memo. The memo states that the special pass is “specifically designated to coincide with the highly anticipated release” of the video games.
However, exact dates redeemed are to be coordinated between the individual and their chain of command. Army announced that it had met its fiscal year 2026 active-duty recruiting goal, four months ahead of schedule, and had signed contracts with more than 61,500 soldiers. This marked the second consecutive year of strong recruitment after enlistment shortfalls in 2022 and 2023.
The recruitment rebound and news of this latest initiative come amid concerns surrounding the ongoing conflict with Iran. Six months into the conflict, peace negotiations with Iran have repeatedly stalled. Iranian officials have defied demands made by Trump, and the U.S. has been blocking Iranian ports and shipping to put economic pressure on Tehran.
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