I am an E-5 in the US Navy currently Stationed at Camp Pendleton Ca sorry socalison but i have to hit you on something lol in the Navy we are called seamen, firemen, airmen, corpsmen or constructionmen until you hit E-4 where you earn the title of petty officer as for the ability to drink at age 18 on base that is no longer so and its changing everstill when i first enlisted 7 years ago the drinking age is the same as what ever country you are currently in unless as in the case with the navy you are out to sea for 45 consecutive days then you get what we call a beer day where as long as you are 18 you get 2 and only 2 beers even though you are technically on US Sovereign territory. but as i mentioned before they are starting to change the rules and alot of captains of ships are enforcing when you pull into a port of call that even if the legal drinking age is 18 you cannot drink unless 21 as well as some units in the Marine corps are doing the same thing as much as it appears a vast majority of the general public thinks that the age should be 18 it is highly unlikely it will change. as for us in the military you are correct we do live under a whole different set of rules first and foremost if i show up late for work i can literally be grounded (as most people would call it just like a kid) and have pay taken away for up to 45 days. any mistake in my life weather it be personal or at work can ruin the rest of my life to the extent i cannot even get a job at McDonalds or Walmart. we take that burden along with the rest such as being away from our friends and family for extended periods of time with pride and honor because we that is what allows all of us to be doing what you and I are doing right now in this very forum...