It’s no secret that the military offers soldiers money to reenlist, but one unit is offering its troops a special bonus if they reenlist: four extra days off in November around the release of the video game “Grand Theft Auto VI.” Commanders of the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, believe free time to indulge in the latest entry in the “Grand Theft Auto” series will sway some soldiers to extend their military commitments. A career counselor with the Army engineer battalion hatched the idea with commanders to tie a retention perk to the game's release, in part to remind soldiers of their approaching reenlistment dates. “The idea was to have a unique incentives program that connects to what soldiers are interested in,” said Lt. Col. Angel Tomko. She said at least 20 of the 130 eligible soldiers have signed up for the bonus. To qualify, they must commit to serving at least two more years in uniform.
