The 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is giving soldiers who reenlist between August 1 and November 14, 2026, a special four-day pass to play Grand Theft Auto VI upon its release on November 19, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The reenlistment contract must be for at least two years, with the option to reenlist up to six years [1, 3, 4, 5].
About 130 soldiers in the unit are eligible for the incentive, and so far 20 have accepted the offer [1, 3, 4, 5]. This reenlistment incentive is unique to the 3rd Infantry Division and is not an Army-wide program [3, 4, 5]. Lieutenant Colonel Angel Tomko said, "The idea was to have a unique incentives programme that connects to what soldiers are interested in" [2].
Tomko also explained, "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" [4]. He added, "Reenlistment incentives are routine for the US Army to reward our soldiers. We want to retain the best talent and it’s a credit to the creativity of the career counselor within the organization to develop this unique opportunity surrounding the launch of this popular videogame" [4].
Grand Theft Auto VI has been in development for six years and cost roughly US$2 billion to make [1]. It will be the first main installment in the series since 2013's GTA V, making it one of the most anticipated video game releases this year [1, 3]. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick described pre-orders for the game as "unprecedented and astonishing" [2].
A memo issued on July 28, 2026, announced the special reenlistment incentive and four-day pass for the GTA VI release [4]. Soldiers who reenlist during the August 1 to November 14 qualifying period will receive leave specifically timed for the game’s November 19 launch [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
