One Army unit is offering 4 bonus days off to play Grand Theft Auto for soldiers who reenlist

Savannah, Ga. — The U.S. Army's 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion, based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is enticing soldiers to reenlist by offering them four additional days off, scheduled to coincide with the November release of the highly anticipated video game Grand Theft Auto VI. Battalion commanders believe the bonus will persuade some troops to extend their military service.

The November 19 release of Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be one of the year's biggest entertainment events, with game publisher Take-Two Interactive reporting unprecedented and astonishing preorders. A career counselor proposed the idea to tie a retention perk to the game's release, aiming to remind soldiers of their approaching reenlistment dates.

Battalion commanders wrote that soldiers who sign reenlistment contracts by November 14 will receive a "special 4 day pass" designed to coincide with the video game's release. At least 20 of 130 eligible soldiers have signed up for the bonus, with the requirement of committing to at least two more years in uniform.