Alcoholic Beverage Control in the Marine Corps
This MARADMIN issues Change 1 to MCO 1700.22D to align alcoholic beverage control policy with current Marine Corps standards. The change establishes that the minimum age for possession, sale, consumption, or serving of alcoholic beverages within the Marine Corps is 21 years, eliminating any special allowances for Marines under 21 regardless of location or local drinking age laws.
Issued: July 7, 2003
1. PURPOSE. TO ISSUE CHANGE 1 TO REF A TO BRING THE REF INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE CURRENT MARINE CORPS ALCOHOL POLICY. 2. BACKGROUND. THE BARRACKS CAMPAIGN PLAN SIGNED BY CMC IN 1997 INITIALLY ISSUED POLICY ELIMINATING SPECIAL ALLOWANCES FOR MARINES UNDER THE AGE OF 21 TO DRINK, POSSESS OR CONSUME ALCOHOL REGARDLESS OF PROXIMITY TO A COUNTRY WITH LOWER AGE DRINKING LIMITS. THIS POLICY WAS LATER CODIFIED IN MCO P1700.27A, THE MCCS POLICY MANUAL. 3. ACTION. ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO REF A: A. CHANGE REF (C) TO: MCO P1700.27A B. CHANGE REF (D) TO: MCO P1700.24B C. CHANGE PARAGRAPH 7B TO READ: "B. PRICING FOR DISTILLED SPIRITS SOLD IN CONUS MARINE CORPS EXCHANGES SHALL BE NO MORE THAN 10 PERCENT LESS THAN THE BEST LOCAL PRICE IN ALCOHOL BEVERAGE CONTROL (ABC) STATES AND NO MORE THAN 5 PERCENT LESS THAN THE BEST LOCAL PRICE IN NON-ABC STATES. C. PRICING FOR DISTILLED SPIRITS IN OVERSEAS MARINE CORPS EXCHANGES SHALL BE WITHIN THE RANGE OF PRICES ESTABLISHED FOR MARINE CORPS EXCHANGES LOCATED IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES UNLESS THE SAME ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE SOLD LOCALLY FOR LESS. THOSE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY BE SOLD FOR 10 PERCENT LESS THAN THE BEST LOCAL PRICE." D. DELETE PARAGRAPH 10 A-C OF REF (A) AND REPLACE WITH THE FOLLOWING: "A. THE MINIMUM AGE FOR THE POSSESSION, SALE, CONSUMPTION OR SERVING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITHIN THE MARINE CORPS SHALL BE 21 YEARS. B. NONALCOHOLIC BEER IS AUTHORIZED FOR SALE. DUE TO THE DISPARITY IN STATE LAWS, HOWEVER, IT SHALL ONLY BE SOLD TO THOSE PATRONS AUTHORIZED TO PURCHASE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES." 4. THIS CHANGE WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE NEXT REVISION OF MCO 1700.22D. THIS MESSAGE SHOULD BE FILED WITH THE DIRECTIVE.