Bill Would Ban Military Slot Machines

[Milton Bradley]

Bill would ban military slot machines - CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A bill in Congress seeks to eliminate military slot machines overseas that take in $130 million a year, mostly from soldiers. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tennessee, named the bill after Army Warrant Officer Aaron Walsh, a decorated Apache helicopter pilot who became addicted to gambling on military slot machines. Walsh eventually was discharged from the Army. He committed suicide after several failed attempts to break his addiction. The Defense Department uses slot machine revenues to pay a small portion of its morale, welfare and recreation programs. Davis said the money raised off the gambling of soldiers is not worth the risks. "If American men and women are willing to serve our country overseas we should not be dependent on them to pay for recreational activities they deserve," Davis said in a written statement. "The risks are simply too high and too many to ask that of our soldiers." The bill's introduction comes after Walsh's story was featured in a CNN investigative report. His widow, Carrie Walsh, described how her husband's life spun out of control while the military refused to intervene.

Wow! Just wow.


I have long known that the government operates without compassion, but wow, taking money from soldiers Vegas style.


I might be speechless, ..., yep, I think I am...

[Jack]

Geez, all we had were foosball machines. Yeah, I don't think gambling fits well with the image the military encourages among its troops and is unnecessary for maintaining moral.

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: Isherwood Geez, all we had were foosball machines. Yeah, I don't think gambling fits well with the image the military encourages among its troops and is unnecessary for maintaining moral.

Particularly in the Middle East, where sharia law severely limits their opportunities.


It's not like they can go downtown, and meets some potential dates.

[Compugasm]

The risks are simply too high and too many to ask that of our soldiers.

Risking your life isn't high enough? All that jumping out of airplane and rifle training, but the slot machines are too dangerous?

[Zeebadee]

Leave the GI's and their clubs alone. The elitists in this country should f*** off and stop trying to decide how other people should live their lives. Military members are no more susceptible to the evils of gambling than civilians.

It seems that there are always some people looking for new ways to reduce what little is left of the concept of personal responsibility.

[Jack]

If the clubs had been "left alone", there wouldn't be gambling machines in them. Someone in the chain of command made the decision to introduce them. They haven't been there forever.

Military members are no more susceptible to the evils of gambling than civilians.

True, but civilians suffer from compulsive gambling, so we should expect military members to suffer in equal proportion.

Here's a scenario that would worry me in the business world but could be ten times worse if it involved a soldier with access to advanced weaponry or sensitive intelligence:
Compulsive gambling can lead to excessive debt. Excessive debt makes a person desperate over how to pay bills, etc. Desperation can lead to bad choices in acquiring money to cover debts. Bad choices can include being a target for blackmail.

So I'd argue it's in the best interest of the military to limit its troop's exposure to situations that would make them targets for blackmailers, which could compromise the security of all Americans.

[Osborn F Enready]

My issue with this is funding related.

The military should not be using gambling as a fund raiser, thats why we have congress, to fund the military if it is needed.

This is a step in a dangerous direction. Though it won't happen tomorrow, or ever most likely, can anyone else see the danger in a self-funded military?!?

[xyzer]

Agree with Zee!

Leave the GI's and their clubs alone. The elitists in this country should f*** off and stop trying to decide how other people should live their lives. Military members are no more susceptible to the evils of gambling than civilians.

When will this idiots we elect to make our laws quit trying to insert government deeper into our lives?
Rep Davis ought to go back to sucking his toes and then try to get something done about illegal immigration, border security, social security rescue and reform, and the other major problems we face!

[Osborn F Enready]

Dont get me wrong, I am not saying soldiers don't have a right to gamble.

I just don't think the machines should be owned and operated by the military.

[Jack]

When will this idiots we elect to make our laws quit trying to insert government deeper into our lives?

You do realize that when you're in the military they own you, 24/7. There's no deeper level of having the government in your life.

Again, was it interference when the machines were introduced or only when their removal is under consideration:?

[Milton Bradley]

The issue with me is that they take real money from troops who are not well payed.


It's not the act of gambling, it's the fact that they're taking real money for providing entertainment to troops.

[Keith Hamburger]

No worse than taking income taxes from the military pay that's acquired, at least in part, from income taxes.

It's a vicious circle where the bureaucrats in the taxing departments get their cut every time around.

Keith

[Zeebadee]

Quote by: Milton Bradley The issue with me is that they take real money from troops who are not well payed. It's not the act of gambling, it's the fact that they're taking real money for providing entertainment to troops.

I believe that all branches of service now charge a mandatory monthly membership fee for their enlisted/officer clubs. Nothing requires a member to play the slots, and there is no extra charge for having the machines in the clubs. No one is "taking real money" from the troops, like gambling everywhere else, they voluntarily take their chances. They don't need you or anyone else to decide what they should do with their money.

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: Zeebadee I believe that all branches of service now charge a mandatory monthly membership fee for their enlisted/officer clubs. Nothing requires a member to play the slots, and there is no extra charge for having the machines in the clubs. No one is "taking real money" from the troops, like gambling everywhere else, they voluntarily take their chances. They don't need you or anyone else to decide what they should do with their money.

You know I agree on a philisophical level, but I also think it's wrong of the military to put them in that position to begin with.


Perhaps they should attempt to provide similar entertainment that doesn't require real money, but is played with complementary chips.

[Zeebadee]

Quote by: Milton Bradley You know I agree on a philisophical level, but I also think it's wrong of the military to put them in that position to begin with. Perhaps they should attempt to provide similar entertainment that doesn't require real money, but is played with complementary chips.

Gambling without real money?? Sounds about as exciting as kissing your sister.

[Compugasm]

Quote by: Milton Bradley Perhaps they should attempt to provide similar entertainment that doesn't require real money, but is played with complementary chips.

I see your Hefty 2-ply coupon, and raise you a palmolive hand sanitizer, and 2-for-1 granola cluster.

[webjedi]

The Government should not be making money from gambling. That includes state governments as well.

Of all the hypocrisies politicians are guilty of, selling lottery tickets to poor people in the ghetto while arresting Internet gambling site operators has got to be the most humorous.

Gambling without real money?? Sounds about as exciting as kissing your sister.

Wouldn't know.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: Milton Bradley Bill would ban military slot machines - CNN.com Wow! Just wow. I have long known that the government operates without compassion, but wow, taking money from soldiers Vegas style. I might be speechless, ..., yep, I think I am...

These slot machines are usually on foreign military bases (such as the Navy Base in Yokosuka, Japan) and they're not just for the military members but for their dependents and for civilian government workers/contractors as well.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: Milton Bradley The issue with me is that they take real money from troops who are not well payed. It's not the act of gambling, it's the fact that they're taking real money for providing entertainment to troops.

And the clubs on base also take real money from these folks for the alcohol they consume. The restaurants (there used to be McDonald's and Burger King on some bases) take real money for the food these folks eat. So what?

[webjedi]

And the clubs on base also take real money from these folks for the alcohol they consume. The restaurants (there used to be McDonald's and Burger King on some bases) take real money for the food these folks eat. So what?

I would say endless hours at a slot machine is decidedly less important than food and drink to the health and welfare of our troops.