--- title: "Soldiers in Poland are barred from karaoke, strip clubs and disturbing wildlife" description: "Updated rules for soldiers, meant to preserve “good order,\" include limits on drinking and orders not to harass animals." date: "2026-11-14" modified: "2026-11-14" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton.md" - name: "Patty Nieberg" job_title: "Senior Reporter" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/patty-nieberg.md" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-v-corps-poland-nightlife-restrictions/" categories: - "Army" - "Around the World" - "Europe" - "Military Branches" - "News" --- # Soldiers in Poland are barred from karaoke, strip clubs and disturbing wildlife ![U.S Soldiers, assigned to Charlie Co., 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, pull a sked stretcher during a situational training exercise at Bemowo Piskie Training Area (BPTA), Poland, on Aug. 6, 2026. The training area hosts NATO Forward Land Forces Battle Group–Poland, one of V Corps’ ready forces in Europe. The battle group builds vigilance, lethality, and interoperability through collaborative forums, multinational exercises, unit-level training, and professional relationships with Allies. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Emilie Lenglain) ]() *U.S. soldiers with V Corps train in Poland in August, 2026. Army Reserve photo by Staff Sgt. Emilie Lenglain.* Soldiers serving under V Corps in Europe are directed to not visit bars, strip clubs, night clubs as a whole as well as karaoke or hookah lounges, the formation's leadership said this month. The Army’s V Corps announced the expanded rules earlier in November, as part of an update to orders covering a sweeping range of prohibitions for soldiers. The directives, which also include rules against buying electronic cigarettes from unauthorized vendors and orders not to disturb wildlife, were done to preserve “good order, discipline, and the safety of our personnel,” a V Corps spokesperson told Task & Purpose. The new order, issued Nov. 5 and effective immediately, replaces an [existing version issued August 2024](). It was signed by Lt. Gen. Thomas Feltey, who took over command of V Corps this fall. The order applies to soldiers under V Corps, not just in Poland but those assigned to 15 other European nations. Feltey's order notes that "common sense and good judgment" should be used when evaluating if an establishment is considered off limits. If they aren't sure, soldiers have a "duty" to get clarity from their leaders. The order takes the time to differentiate each type of establishment. “I expect all individuals to be disciplined and professional on and off duty, ready to assure our Allies and Partners, deter our adversaries, to build and maintain readiness, and to continuously strive to uphold the Army Values,” Feltey wrote. “A careful balance must be achieved in order to accomplish our mission while also maintaining morale within our ranks.” V Corps, headquartered in Fort Knox but forward deployed to Camp Kościuszko, Poland, is one of the Army's main forces in Europe and works closely with NATO partners. ![An umbrella with the Zywiec logo is seen on the street in Wroclaw, Poland, on July 30, 2026. (Photo by Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Getty Images)]() *A bar in Wroclaw, Poland in July 2026. Photo by Klaudia Radecka/NurPhoto via Getty Images.* Several parts of the order are focused on the consumption of alcohol. The 2024 rules stipulated that soldiers on orders for more than 30 days were barred from drinking for the first 96 hours in the European Command area of responsibility. That is not in the new version. The 2026 update does specifically bar troops from drinking within eight hours of assuming duty, operating any vehicle (including rentals), possess or drink on an installation or forward operating site and not drink to the point of being drunk. According to a spokesperson for V Corps, the move is not a “reaction to a single spike in misconduct, but rather a deliberate and proactive alignment of force standards.” “As a forward-deployed warfighting headquarters, we must ensure our force is disciplined and combat-ready. Minimizing alcohol and safety related risks prevents friction and keeps our units optimized to ‘Fight Tonight.’” The new order also adds a prohibition against "approaching, handling, feeding, capturing, adopting, harassing, disturbing, or otherwise interfering with wildlife" in the area. It is not clear what prompted that to be added to the general order. Additionally, soldiers are not allowed to be off the installation or forward operating site between 10 p.m.-5 a.m. local time without a battle buddy. Soldiers are also barred from purchasing e-cigarettes, vape juice or "similar devices" from non-authorized vendors (as opposed to U.S. military or allied forces' exchanges). ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]() ## More - [Army removes head of V Corps from command]() - [Pentagon cancels Army unit’s deployment to Europe with soldiers already in Poland]() - [Man who kidnapped U.S. Army soldiers from Colombia bar gets 48-year sentence]() - [US soldiers are not training Ukrainians in Poland, Army chief says]() - [An Army M1 Abrams tank dubbed ‘A Horse With No Name’ is riding through Poland]() - [An Army major was allegedly drugged and bitten by strippers during a drunken escapade in Poland]() - [3,000 additional Army paratroopers to deploy to Poland in response to Russia-Ukraine crisis]() - [The Army may ditch alcohol restrictions for soldiers in the barracks]()