If a tree falls in a forest and lands on a politician, even if you can't hear the tree or the screams, I'll bet you'd at least hear the applause. Paul Tindale
Posted
This is a bit old, but may be interesting to those on active duty. Having lived through slots on overseas bases, then banned because of the actions of some senior NCOs, then once again approved, I have some mixed feeling on this. I had heard of horror stories where the wife or service member spend the entire pay at the slots. Thought this was very strange, as it would take a concentrated effort pulling the handle of a quarter slot. Later, learned that this was actually true. A couple of my troops did just that and I had to deal with their wives and ensuing problems. Only benefit of the slots was that drinks and food were really, really cheap, but that ended during the second go around. Payoffs were changed to approximately 95 percent and profits went down and so did the booze and meal subsidy.
By Malia Rulon - Gannett News Service, osted : Thursday Dec 13, 2007 19:37:09 EST
WASHINGTON — A bill that would ban government-sponsored gambling at foreign military bases was introduced Wednesday by Rep. Lincoln Davis.
Gambling is not allowed on domestic bases — only foreign facilities where the host country allows the practice. The military raises about $150 million each year from gambling machines on foreign bases, Davis, a Tennessee Democrat, said. Most of that money goes to pay for solider recreational activities, but Davis said that doesn’t make government-sponsored gambling OK. He said some soldiers have become addicted to gambling because of its presence on bases and at least one soldier took his life after becoming addicted.
“We’re taking advantage of the time that our soldiers have when they are not on the battlefield,” Davis said Wednesday. “I think that’s wrong. I don’t think that’s the American way of doing business.”
Army Lt. Col. Les’ Melnyk, a Defense Department spokesman, said slot machines and video poker are offered as recreational activities to soldiers, along with movie theaters, bowling allies and arcade centers. “It brings a touch of home to the service member,” Melnyk said, adding that if the base didn’t allow gambling in countries where gambling is legal, soldiers could do it off the base.
Providing gambling opportunities to soldiers on military bases allows the government to offer a higher payout percentage in a controlled, safe environment, and to funnel the money back into programs that benefit soldiers, he said. “Obviously, we are aware of and concerned with the possibility of gambling addiction,” Melnyk said. “We have programs in place and counseling for those with addictive personalities.”
The chances of Davis’ bill are uncertain as Congress prepares for its holiday break. Davis, who is not a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he hoped to get attention for the issue and pass the bill on its own or as part of a larger defense bill.
I've spent 15 of my 24 years of service overseas. And I can tell you that those slots are a scourge. A lot of troops and/or their family members go broke at the slots.
Some people just don't know when to quit and walk away. From a military base commander's point of view, would you rather have the money they spend stay on base, or go downtown? Most of the slots I've seen overseas are in countries that have legalized gambling anyway, as LTC Melnyk stated, so you aren't going to stop people from doing it. You might be able to capture some of the profit though. And that would be good for the base in general.
"The Mind, Like a Parachute, Functions Only When Open"
Originally posted by SLDO: Having lived through slots on overseas bases, then banned because of the actions of some senior NCOs, then once again approved,
[/QUOTE]
Having been in when the ban occured, if my memory serves correctly the ban occured because of kickbacks to a very high ranking NCO back in 68/69.
If a tree falls in a forest and lands on a politician, even if you can't hear the tree or the screams, I'll bet you'd at least hear the applause. Paul Tindale
Originally posted by SLDO: Having lived through slots on overseas bases, then banned because of the actions of some senior NCOs, then once again approved,
Having been in when the ban occured, if my memory serves correctly the ban occured because of kickbacks to a very high ranking NCO back in 68/69.[/QUOTE]
The “senior NCO “in question was in fact SGM William 0. Wooldridge, who was appointed as the first sergeant major of the army in July 1966. He had served as CSM, Military Assistance Command, Vietnamin, where he, and many other senior NCO manipulated the NCO Club system and systematically looted and stole millions by accepting kickback and manipulation of the slots. A very sorry interlude for the NCO Corps. As a result, slots were banned worldwide from all clubs.
