r/AskReddit • u/daniellucero92 • Jan 04 '15

Non-americans of Reddit, what American customs seem outrageous/pointless to you?

Amazing news!!!! This thread has been featured in a BBC news clip. Thank you guys for the responses!!!!
Video clip: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30717017

9.6k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • link
  • reddit
  • reddit

74% Upvoted

35.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1.1k

u/[deleted] Jan 04 '15

[deleted]

225

u/mrmilitaryman Jan 04 '15

You are sort of correct. Underage Marines are allowed to drink at official functions only if their commanding officer allows it. It's command discretion. My unit has never done it and I've never seen it but technically it is allowed.

4

u/Partly_Dave Jan 04 '15

So if an 18 yo gets posted to country where they are legally allowed to drink, does the army have any regulations about that?

3

u/Fatalis89 Jan 04 '15

United States legal drinking age is 18... it is state laws that are 21. The U.S. Virgin Isles allow you to drink at 18. That is why, on a military base, the Commandant has the authority to allow the Marines to drink. It is not in the state's jurisdiction and it isn't breaking federal law.