Army grad won't get shot with Lions after change in military policy

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN

DETROIT (AP) -- Caleb Campbell will not get a chance to play for the Detroit Lions because of a change in military policy.

Campbell was a seventh-round draft pick for the Lions in April. At the time, Army policy would have allowed the West Point graduate to serve as a recruiter if he made the team.

But a subsequent Department of Defense policy has superseded the 2005 Army policy.

In a letter to Lions president Matt Millen dated Wednesday, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan P. Liba wrote that Campbell has been ordered to give up professional football for "full-time traditional military duties."

Liba wrote that 2nd Lt. Campbell may ask to be released from his active duty obligations in May 2010.





Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/nfl/07/2...

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Good - I was pissed when I read originally he would be allowed to serve out his time as a recruiter. Sorry Caleb, you knew when you got the slot at West Point that it entailed serving as an active duty officer.

[wain]

1. I totally agree. This crap has been going on for a long time.

If you graduate from the academies, you owe full time service to your country. That's what my taxes paid for. Professional sports is after the four year obligation. A contract is a contract. There was a choice and it was made and my tax money was allocated and consumed.

[The Croquist]

7. A contract is a contract but...

It sounds like the Army changed the terms of the contract after Detroit drafted him. He probably started West Point in 2004 so it sounds like the "2005 Army policy" wasn't in place when he joined although there may have been another policy to give him an "escape clause". The Lions on the other hand just got screwed. So did every other West Point cadet / athlete who joined up starting in 2005.

I agree that they should fulfill their obligations. I just hate that they think they can unilaterally change the terms of the contract. If they grandfathered in current cadets I wouldn't have a problem.

I watch Army play this year. Their football team is not exactly their strong suit.

[raebrek]

15. I would allow that

playing professional football and working as a recruiter is good for the Army too. A high profile professional football player would be a great recruiter for the military. That would be a lot of work for him too. Recruiter duty is no cake walk.



Raebrek!!!

on edit: I noticed that it was the Lion's and football. for some reason when I orignally posted I thought it was a basketball team. My bad. I do watch professional football.

[14thColony]

2. May 2010?

Less than two years of sevice for a 4-yr academy degree? How does that work?

[RamboLiberal]

3. I noticed that they're still cutting him a break

According to Wikipedia he's supposed to do 5 years.

Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science degree and most are commissioned as second lieutenants (the lowest rank for a commissioned officer) in the U.S. Army with an obligation to serve 5 years active service and 3 years inactive-reserve in the military.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Military_Aca...

[Recursion]

8. He can always buy out his contract

You aren't obligated to take the commission; you just have to pay for your education if you decide not to. I'm sure the Lions would front him the cash.

[The Croquist]

16. I have never heard that you can buy out of the military

Are you sure?

[Recursion]

18. You're not "buying out of the military"

First off, any officer can resign his or her commission, and any midshipman/cadet/officer candidate can refuse his or her commission. In principle they are still liable for military service (ie, they could be forced to serve as an enlisted man) but in practice that just doesn't happen.

That said, the suspension of fees and tuition for the service academies are waived on the assumption that you will serve in the military. If you decline a commission, resign it during the first term, or wash out of the academy for non-medical reasons, you're liable for the tuition and fees for your education, which are quite high. Now, in practice, if you wash out or flunk out and it's clear you were trying your best, they'll usually still suspend them. But, service as an officer is and must be entirely voluntary; they can't force you to accept a commission you don't want.

ROTC programs usually have something similar: you can go on a ROTC scholarship and then buy the scholarship back if you don't take a commission. If you aren't offered an active commission (which still happens today somehow) you aren't liable to pay the scholarship back.

[Faygo Kid]

4. Another wasted draft choice by Matt Millen.

He signed up for the Army; I have no problem with him not making $$ as a football player when he knew what he signed up for at West Point.

But it's just how the Lions do things.

[Demeter]

5. I Was Wondering Who Was Shooting Lions

I must have wandered into the wrong thread....

[heliarc]

6. Yeah... I didn't know what the &*(%^* the headline meant either. nt

[superconnected]

10. Yep, I only clicked on it because I didn't understand it.

F the army. I hope the kid gets to play football. Let others kill people if they want. Nothing wrong with changing his mind imo. I don't even care about the cash for his education.

[Demeter]

11. That's a Pithy Slogan at the Bottom of Your Post, SuperC!

Short and truthful.

[underpants]

13. I was too

[erpowers]

9. Army Made The Right Decision

This was the right decsion by the Army. They never should have allowed the rule that lets athletes go professional while only doing reserve duty as a recuriter. In my opinion there are too many high school kids who really want to go to the military academies, but are rejected for different reasons. Campbell should have to spend his two years of active duty in the Army. It is not fair to the other student who graduated from Westpoint or the student who did not get accepted to Westpoint. Finally it is not as if he did not know what going to Westpoint meant. It meant he would be required to be in the Army for two to four years.

[jbane]

12. What a terrible choice, Iraq or the Detroit Lions!

Both lost causes until the current leadership (Army-Bush, Lions-Millen)
is replaced.

[underpants]

14. I will never forget a young 2nd Lt. coming up to a bunch of us in the motor pool

He comes up (I was about his age) and he says (trying to come off as "one of us")

"So what, did you guys join up and get the GI Bill?"

We all nod yes

(he lets out a heavy sigh and tilts his head -eyes closed-towards the heavens) God I wish I had....I am into them for 6 years now.

(he did the opposite of us-the Army paid for his college in exchange for X years of service) He had a chemistry degree, he was our NBC officer.

[happygoluckytoyou]

17. how about we bail out of this shit war.... and nobody would care that he could do both

[michreject]

19. He got assigned as a asst football coach

For one year. He will never leave country.

[minnesota_liberal]

20. Front-end version of "stop loss"

It's funny how the Army can change the rules mid-contract. We all know what happens when an individual tries to do that.