By There are going to be a lot of upset ajummas around USFK who are making a fortune off military slot machines if this bill comes into law:
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. [CNN]
Interestingly enough Warrant Officer Walsh became addicted to slot machines while stationed in Korea. The military’s MWR programs will take a hit without the slot machines, but side benefits of the military not promoting gambling and reducing the corruption that surrounds it especially in USFK should be worth it.Â
It is the sad reality. No mistake...
12:25 pm on December 18th, 2007 1
I have seen and known some to be addict iced to these things and now that they no longer are operated by an arm. I find them boring. But at the same time they are part of the Korean experience and everyone should not be penalized because some warrant couldnt control his urges.
6:51 am on December 29th, 2007 2
Slot machines part of the Korean experience? I guess your right, right along with the black marketing, illegal loan sharking, prostitution, illegal access to installations, counterfeiting, drug trafficking. And this is all on post!
Don't get me wrong, I love Korea, but we could all do without all this bs that goes on everyday, even today.
5:51 pm on June 26th, 2008 3
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9:40 pm on December 2nd, 2010 4
Sorry to hear about your sister. Gambling addiction is a very strange mental illness. I believe a lot of addicts are of the type that don't give up easily. This trait is good in most things, but of course, very damaging in gambling. Also, they, for the most part, have a positive personality and probably believe in a higher being. This personality also works against them in gambling. Always thinking they will eventually win, when it fact they will always loose on a slot machine. I'm sure your sister wants to give up but keeps trying to "break even". She should get professional help before it totally destroys her life and happiness. Only the machine owners win at slots.
9:56 pm on December 2nd, 2010 5
Everyone smart enough to avoid having a discussion with the spambot, please take one step forward.
Whoa… not so fast there, Pete.
5:17 am on December 3rd, 2010 6