US soldiers stationed in Poland now banned from getting drunk at karaoke bars: ‘Everybody was kind of shocked’

V Corps soldiers stationed at Camp Kościuszko, Poland, have been given strict orders that’ll keep them away from karaoke microphones for the foreseeable future. Per Stars and Stripes, a Nov. 5 order from Lt. Gen. Thomas Feltey has meant that soldiers cannot visit alcohol-serving bars, nightclubs, karaoke bars, and hookah lounges during off-duty hours.

The new rules apply both to soldiers stationed at the base, and those in off-installation housing in Poznan. Lt. Gen. Feltey was reportedly questioned about why the order was necessary and replied, “Our soldiers are in Europe for a purpose: to deter aggression and be ready to fight if called upon.” Clearly this “purpose” now doesn’t include belting out an off-tune ‘Living on a Prayer’ after a few Polish beers.

V Corps soldiers were informed of the new restrictions on their nighttime activities off-duty at a formation last Friday. Those affected by it don’t sound particularly pleased about tight restrictions on what they can do out of uniform.

Not even a little ‘More than a Feeling’?

One anonymous soldier spoke to Stripes, requesting anonymity for fear of retaliation, and said: “Everybody was kind of shocked and kind of trying to figure out what they can and can’t do.” He added that a permanent assignment is generally treated as an opportunity to live abroad, but that orders about their personal time make it feel like a deployment.

Per Stripes, Lt. Col. Vincent Gothard, V Corps director of public affairs, clarified that there has been no specific incident of drunkenness, poor behavior, or iffy karaoke singing that resulted in this order, but just that the military wants to strengthen discipline and readiness. This is broadly in line with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s vision of the military, who said (per War.gov) soldiers’ “only focus, as you know in your formations, should be training, readiness, accountability, discipline, and lethality.”

That said, soldiers on base have expressed confusion about what they are and aren’t allowed to do now. For example, restaurants that serve alcohol are not automatically prohibited under the new order, though it’s apparently unclear what happens to any restaurant that transitions into a bar later at night. Stripes quotes a soldier who wonders if he’ll have to leave any establishment the moment the kitchen closes.

However, it’s important to underline that the military is not banning karaoke outright. But the new order stipulates that you can only pick up that microphone when there’s no alcohol available. Whether it’s possible to even run a dry karaoke bar remains to be seen.