I bet he does..."I find it, in some ways, motivating to make sure I make the team."
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."
I bet he does..."I find it, in some ways, motivating to make sure I make the team."
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.
Sam Liles
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He got picked up by the Detroit Lions in the 7th Round.
Meanwhile his peers will be visiting me and other TRADOC establishments this summer getting ready to lead real Soldiers into armed combat with people trying to kill them.
IF he makes it through training camp without getting cut, I hope he can live with himself when his first classmate is mourned at West Point after giving their life for their country. This guy has zero credibility, zero personification of the Army Values, and exemplifies everything that is wrong with officer selection right now.
If I have a young hotshot E5 who is good at baseball and goes up to the Braves open tryouts next year and makes it, is he going to get out of his contract? I doubt it. And that's wrong.
If he gets hurt and has to come to the force, he'd better not be my ADA officer. He'd get cut from my team.
Example is better than precept.
Last edited by SWJED; 05-03-2008 at 11:13 PM.
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
Any man can destroy that which is around him, The rare man is he who can find beauty even in the darkest hours
Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur
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.
Example is better than precept.
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."
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?
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.....
Looks like DoD has reversed the previous policy and 2LT Campbell is back on active duty:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200....ap/index.html
Guess he was right--a lot of folks do including the DoD."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."
I maybe in the slim majority that is unhappy that 2LT Campbell won't be playing Free Safety for the Detroit Lions this year. I've read most of the posts on this from all of you (although I vehemently disagree with some) and it seems that we must consider this reversal of policy in terms of logic:
Apparently, 2LT Campbell is too valuable as a PL (ADA) to release to the NFL and recruit for Army football. Grounds for the decision:
*He went to West Point knowing of the military obligation and service requirement, in a time of war. He should fulfill his commitment.
*The taxpayers footed the bill for his education; not to play football, but to serve.
I SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING WITH UTTER FACETIOUSNESS:
If this is the logic for the decision, then in fairness, the following programs must be abolished, IOT "get these Soldiers in the fight", because they enlisted or were commissioned into the Army to fight wars, not do “other non-essential activities” at the expense of the taxpayer:
-Golden Knights Parachute Team
-Army Marksmanship Team (who routinely sends shooters to the Olympics)
-Army Athlete Program (also sends Soldiers to the Olympics)
There is also another solution. Do away with competitive sports teams at West Point. Then we don’t have to have this discussion. The Cadets aren’t there to play games; they are there to learn and prepare to lead troops. Or, one could say that if USMA doesn’t want to put (quality) athletes on the field with potentially professional talent, then why put a team on the field at all? Either do it well, or don’t do it at all, right?
Can you see where this could go?
****FACETIOUSNESS CONCLUDED*******
I’m not jealous of Caleb Campbell because he has a talent that I don’t. It doesn’t make me angry that he can play professional football and not have to serve in combat, just like me and so many others. It doesn’t upset me that he could make millions of dollars playing a pro sport and just “do some recruiting for USMA in the off-season”, even though he took the same oath I did. I don’t have any animosity for the guy at all. I happen to believe that West Point’s Division I competitive sports programs are a great thing, and anything they can do to improve them into habitually victorious organizations should be done; to include recruiting ballplayers with professional potential; and letting them serve as a reservist to recruit other superior athletes to USMA in their respective off-seasons. What a phenomenal recruiting tool and morale booster that would be! It’s incredibly unfortunate this is not the case, dooming West Point football to mediocrity until the policy is once again re-instated.
Sometimes the level of martyrdom on this forum is amazing. Not just with this thread, but others as well. Remember this one? http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=5611
Sir, what the hell are we doing?
Sure can. It can lead one to make this sort of statement:"Can you see where this could go?"Which may be logical but I suspect misses the emotional and psychological aspects by a great distance."Sometimes the level of martyrdom on this forum is amazing."
Logically, no one would ever go to war; it is undoubtedly one of the most stupid if not the most stupid of human endeavors. Logically, no one would ever want to be a soldier, it's entirely too risky -- yet people do want to be and are Soldiers. Why is that?
War transcends logic.
That would be about the only thing in your post I agree with. I believe that taking the King's coin means serving in the field. That does not mean recruiting to fill football teams at the Point or slots in the Golden Kinights--many of whom in the 70s I knew and jumped with. Some of the Knights then were recruited and became instant corporals after basic so they could try out. As for the marksmanship unit, it has in the past done good work. But in the current environment, I fail to see the need for a pellet pistol champion.
In the case of the LT in question, I would not criticize him as an officer had he not opened his mouth first. That aside, I would criticize the priorities of the Academy and the Army that said he could side step his obligation.
If that is what you call martyrdom, then I am a martyr and a taxpayer.
Tom
Reference the other post, well that was started by someone essentially using the forum as a lab.
Martyrdom? Just my perception, but I viewed the issues brought out in both threads as more along the lines of personal integrity and operational ethics as opposed to entitlement and what's in it for me attitudes.Originally Posted by jkm_101_fso
You and I both know the level of media coverage he's recieved would eventually lead to him saying something "questionable" (he's 21 years old), resulting in criticism from those in the peanut gallery. I'm sure that his intentions were good regarding any quote he made that you found unfavorable or controversial.
I don't consider anyone a martyr in this case, unless your stance is "well, I had to serve in war and in the field, so should he". IMO, that viewpoint is immature and is a result of jealousy and anger, not actual reasoning...not to mention a failure to see the big picture beyond one's self.
Sir, what the hell are we doing?
He is 21 years of age and old enough to swear his oath as an officer. As for his intentions, his actions speak much louder.
Interesting that you say that as you brought up the term. My stance is as I stated: you take the King's coin, you serve. I did not have to serve in a war; I did so as a volunteer who trained to do so as part of my job.I don't consider anyone a martyr in this case, unless your stance is "well, I had to serve in war and in the field, so should he".
You are welcome to your opinion. I am neither jealous nor angry at the Lieutenant. He is a disappointment. You seem to equate the big picture with West Point football. I would say the issue is larger than that; apparently DoD thought so, too.IMO, that viewpoint is immature and is a result of jealousy and anger, not actual reasoning...not to mention a failure to see the big picture beyond one's self.
Tom
I don't see how he is a disappointment...what do you mean? Because he agreed to the now-defunct policy of letting him play?
I think the big picture, at least initially, was West Point Football. The original policy (letting him play in the NFL) was designed to attract more quality players to USMA, thus resulting in the program becoming more successful. The policy was reversed, which means at some point, someone "in charge" thought it was a good idea. Apparently they were "trumped" by either a non-football fan or someone who was sick of hearing the collective whining from the force about 2LT Campbell's unique opportunity.
Sir, what the hell are we doing?
Again all your opinion and that's ok. As for disappointment, an officer that takes an oath during wartime who feels playing football is more important than service fits that bill. I would say the same thing applies to those who framed the policy. DoD does in fact trump Army; whether it was a non-football fan or reaction to comments from the field is debatable.
We will have to disagree that West Point football is "Big Picture".
Finally I would also suggest you avoid the use of "whining" when dismissing other's opinions.
Tom
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