Army orders draft pick to military duty

Mr.Leisure · Jul 23, 2008

July 23, 2008
CBSSports.com wire reports

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But a subsequent Department of Defense policy has superseded the 2005 Army policy.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

Liba said Campbell was allowed to enter the draft "in good faith."

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Should have let the kid see if he could have made the roster,think of all the good publicity they would have got.

HinesWard86 · Jul 23, 2008

What in the fuck? Couldn't the Lions sue the government here? They stated that if they drafted him than he would be able to play, but now they have about faced and the Lions have wasted a 7th round pick. Bullshit.

BadCo · Jul 23, 2008

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

Ask to be released,commissioned officer are allowed to resign their commission after they have repaid the education part except during war time.

So he is toast.

TheWolf · Jul 24, 2008

Seriously, slowly but surely, we are becoming communists.

nhoj · Jul 24, 2008

No more free rides. Everyone scared of OB being elected. Going to need all the troops to protect the government from the people.

kirkmuller · Jul 24, 2008

what's the big deal?

the guy decided to go to West Point and by doing so agreed to compulsory service. it was his choice. he should have had no expectation that he could go to west point and not fulfil his military obligations.

quinnsft34 · Jul 24, 2008

kirkmuller said:
what's the big deal?

the guy decided to go to West Point and by doing so agreed to compulsory service. it was his choice. he should have had no expectation that he could go to west point and not fulfil his military obligations.

Exactly.

OTK · Jul 24, 2008

This is bad for everybody involved. Campbell doesn't get to live out his dream of playing in the NFL. The Army gets bad publicity as most will side with the football player, they also who probably would have been one of their best recruiters because of his NFL status, and it hurts future Army football players that are borderline prospects for the NFL because less teams will be willing to take a risk on these guys knowing that they could pretty much waste the pick if the Army/Government decides they need him.

He's more valuable to the Army playing the NFL and being a recruiter IMO.

AllInAintNothin' · Jul 24, 2008

When he signed on to go to Army he knew the rules and guidelines. He got a free education to go to Army and there are thousands of soldiers that are being screwed by the military right now; why should he get a pass? Thousands are being Stop-Loss left and right and just because he has a chance at being in the NFL he should get a pass at what he signed onto to do?

If he was a very good engineer or physicist would he get a pass? No. I wish the kid had a chance, don't get me wrong, but with all the guys that are being screwed I just don't agree with him being an exception. If his dream was to play in the NFL, don't go to Army and get free tuition to join the military.

EasyMoney · Jul 25, 2008

correct me if I'm wrong here but there are at least 3 or 4 other army athletes that got drafted by their pro sports league this year and they are currently playing with them.

Army baseball players Cole White and Chris Simmons were drafted by the Pittsburg Pirates in this years baseball draft. They are both curreently playing with the state college spikes of the new york penn league. So what happens with those guys?

One things for sure, somebody, either the Army or the Department of Defense messed this up bad. Recruiting numbers of the military have been going down for years and this kid could've helped. The Navy still to this day openly admits that Tim Duncan is widely used to help them recruit people.

BlackBart · Jul 25, 2008

BadCo said:
Ask to be released,commissioned officer are allowed to resign their commission after they have repaid the education part except during war time.

So he is toast.

Almost. Commissioned officers of the "regular" army/navy/air force/marines have an eight year service obligation. In most cases, the service commitment for academy graduates is 5 years on active duty and 3 years of reserve service. What it sounds like here is that the army may transfer him to reserve status sooner. Unfortunately, these days those in the reserves are seeing as much active duty as regular officers.

The navy has always drawn a hardline with the service obligation, but has been pretty flexible with duty station assignments. I served on active duty with Doug Wojick after he graduated from the Naval Academy (he was the captain and point guard of the '87 team with David Robinson). He wanted to go into coaching, so he got transferred back to Navy after his initial sea tour as an assistant coach while he was still on active duty to finish his obligation. He did some time at Navy as a civilian, then went to Notre Dame, UNC, and Michigan State. He is now the head coach at Tulsa.

HiPockets · Jul 25, 2008

All In Aint Nothin' said:
When he signed on to go to Army he knew the rules and guidelines. He got a free education to go to Army and there are thousands of soldiers that are being screwed by the military right now; why should he get a pass? Thousands are being Stop-Loss left and right and just because he has a chance at being in the NFL he should get a pass at what he signed onto to do?

If he was a very good engineer or physicist would he get a pass? No. I wish the kid had a chance, don't get me wrong, but with all the guys that are being screwed I just don't agree with him being an exception. If his dream was to play in the NFL, don't go to Army and get free tuition to join the military.

Yep. Good post. Surprise that the bloated army bureaucracy f'ed this up. The delay in their decision/directive sent Campbell to training camp is more the issue. "Communists, sue the govt, let the kid play?" You want an real Army-Sports issue then read about some of the shameful Pat Tillman saga. Nothing new that military stupidity wastes itself all over its best prospects.

AngleBroom · Jul 25, 2008

The Wolf said:
Seriously, slowly but surely, we are becoming communists.

I heard that, we're losing a little piece of freedom every day.

Army orders draft pick to military duty

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