Army Safety Caleb Campbell - NFL Bound?

[wm]

from the local community newspaper that serves the area around West Point

Campbell and three Army teammates — fullback Mike Viti, punter/kicker Owen Tolson and wide receiver Jeremy Trimble — are the first football players to take advantage of the policy.

"This is a way of serving your country," said Viti, one of four regiment commanders among Army's 4,000 cadets.

"I think a lot of people had the misconception that if you're not getting bullets slung by your head, you're not serving your nation in a time of war."

[Tom Odom]

"I find it, in some ways, motivating to make sure I make the team."

I bet he does...

[selil]

I had it pointed out to me by a couple of acaddemy representatives yesterday that I was in error. Seems my post on SWC got me some attention. The Navy I was told is not nor will they be doing this with accademy graduates, and the Air Force doesn't have that good of football players. Well that is what Navy said. The Air Force representative quoted Fisher DeBerry saying their job is to make Air Force officers not NFL players. Yeah I know DeBerry left in 2006, but I thought the sentiment was in the right place. I have not verified any facts as to either sides case.

[SWJED]

"This is a way of serving your country," said Viti, one of four regiment commanders among Army's 4,000 cadets.

"I think a lot of people had the misconception that if you're not getting bullets slung by your head, you're not serving your nation in a time of war."

... horse s***.

And of course they are getting 0-1 pay and the difference over that payed by the NFL is going to the Army? Right? Right?

[Ron Humphrey]

There may be some confusion on why this would be a good or bad program plan overall. If there where someone who is a biiig fan of military service and who wanted to join but already had a very large persona from a professional career then great they will be more effective as a recruiting rep, etc.

But allowing those who happen to be good enough to "skip" out on their real obligations after already reaping the benefits of enlistment will continue to result in exactly what we see here. This discussion has pointedly brought out what the perception is and that is the reality when it comes to anyone who will come in contact with that person as a recruiter.

Now if the institutes were to allow those who achieve this sort of thing to "buy" their way out through a combination of service Recuiting videos, and an equivalent of reimbursement for whatever the military would have spent in fair market pricing I think there might not be as large a stigma. Don't know but might be something to consider. At least to me that would seem to follow with looking to what the individuals skillsets are that help most to facilitate successful operations.

Thought's

[RTK]

Ron,

Here's my point. Pat Tillman set aside a very successful NFL career to fight for his country. This cat went to West Point over a year after we entered entered Iraq and almost 3 years after September 11th. He knew what the cost was when he entered service. It's time to pay up and he found a loophole which got Uncle Sam to pay for his four years of college.

Here's a stipulation they should put on this policy: No cadet will be allowed to go pro unless their team has a winning record over the course of their career.

Guess that would count the West Point football crowd out.

[patmc]

Half the grads are getting out at the end of their ADSO. Now cadets are getting out before they even start? What's in the water up there?

Letting someone take the easy way out because they are an athlete is the worst possible message. If you had a cadet that is going to cure cancer, ok, let him or her go do that. Otherwise, you are telling every Army cadet or candidate, regardless of source, that they are a sucker since they're following through with their committment and word. Being a 2LT "recruiter" helps the Army more than being a PL? Yeah right.

We also read that NFL is as much stress as Iraq or Afghanistan quote and did a collective, "not appropriate for print."

[slapout9]

Anybody remember Roger Staubach? The winning QB for the Dallas Cowboys who went to the Naval Academy. He completed his Navy commitment and THEN went PRO. Why should the Army be any different?

[Jedburgh]

In contrast to USMA, here's a similar situation dealt with by the Naval Academy....

WP, 12 Jun 08: Draft Pick Must Serve 5-Year Active Duty

A Navy graduate drafted last week by the Cardinals was denied a bid to play ball yesterday and ordered to report for duty.

Mitch Harris, a newly commissioned ensign, must serve a five-year active duty commitment, Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter ruled.

"He will report to his ship as ordered," said Cmdr. Jeff Davis, a Navy spokesman.....