{
  "id": 2189623,
  "title": "One Army unit is offering 4 bonus days off to play Grand Theft Auto for soldiers who reenlist",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/one-army-unit-is-offering-4-bonus-days-off-to-play-grand-theft-auto-2189623",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T17:53:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Associated Press",
    "slug": "associated-press",
    "url": "https://apnews.com/article/army-reenlistment-bonus-grand-theft-auto-gta-c24b25e09ca401773d081cc1bb21202b"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Fort Stewart, Georgia — The U.S. Army's 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion is offering a unique incentive to soldiers who reenlist before November. In exchange for signing a reenlistment contract by November 14, troops will receive an extra four days off, timed to coincide with the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19. Battalion commanders believe that this perk, designed to align with soldiers' interests, may encourage enlistment decisions. According to Lt. Col. Angel Tomko, a career counselor with the battalion, the idea arose to remind soldiers of their reenlistment dates while tapping into their enthusiasm for the popular video game series.",
  "summary": "SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A U.S. Army unit is offering its troops a special bonus if they reenlist soon: four extra days off timed around the November release of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI. Commanders of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion based at Fort Stewart, Georgia,…",
  "key_points": [
    "9th Brigade Engineer Battalion offers 4 bonus days off for reenlistment",
    "Bonus days coincide with Grand Theft Auto VI release on November 19",
    "Lt. Col. Angel Tomko initiated the incentive to boost enlistment"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}