Feeling Sorry for Caleb Campbell

[Jackofalltrades]

He got a raw deal, but the first thing I learned in the Marine Corps was "they don't give a shit about you." You exist to serve them.

[solorca]

Originally Posted by monstercat

Why should I feel sorry for him? Nobody made him go to West Point, and nobody is reinstating the draft.

It's one thing to sign up for the army and then go. It's another to sign up, play some football, and suddenly get a chance to achieve a life-long dream of playing in the NFL (which he never thought would happen), and having it taken away. If the Army would have told him from the beginning that he couldn't play, then I wouldn't feel bad. Instead, they told him he could play in the NFL and took it away. That would be devastating.

Honestly, the Army is idiotic for doing this. The value of having an NFL player as a recruiter would be worth a lot more than having one guy going to Iraq.

[Lout84]

He wouldn't have made the team anyway. In fact, I bet Coach Millen told him, "Hey, you are going to get cut, I have devised this story for the press to help you save face".

[pantherclaw]

Don't feel sorry for the guy.

[hdevonxz]

Originally Posted by MadHatter28078

$120,000? Are you kidding me. The gov't spends over $250,000 per cadet for their education at West Point. Not only do you have tuition, bookes, fees, uniforms, room, board, etc..., but each cadet earns a monthly stipend while attending West Point. In the late 80's (when I was there), it was just over $6,000 per year. The estimate 20 years ago was $125,000 for their education. Wtih rising college costs, that is easily $250,000 today.

I thought you couldn't put a price on a human life.....

[solorca]

Originally Posted by Panthro

The issue isn't the commitment the issue is the Army going back on their word. I think his success would be tenfold recruiting for the Army....

Exactly. This would have been a non-issue if the Army would have said from the beginning that he would have to serve in Iraq. Instead, they told him he could play in the NFL and took it back.

And people wonder why no one trusts our government...

[Jackofalltrades]

Army shouldn't renig on their deal, God knows they would pursue you if you the shoe was on the other foot.

[Panthro]

They also need some positive NFL/Army press after the whole Tillman thing

[pantherclaw]

In my eyes, regardless what the Army has done, he made a commitment not only to the Army, but to his country. Don't make the commitment if you ain't willing to see it through.

[EdwardTeach]

As a veteran, I see how the military obligation would override the NFL and how Campbell shouldn't be surprised with their decision...it's the timing of the issue that bothers me. He was told, just as he was about to sign a contract and report to camp, that the policy had changed and that he wouldn't be allowed to stay. That had to suck. Still, he took the oath and he had to know that there was a possibility that this may happen.
I heard, briefly, on ESPN that there are apparently some WP graduates who were allowed to continue with their professional baseball commitments...anyone know anything about this?

[JoeMac]

They just re-did the GI Bill, and it is f*cking awesome....we get about 80 - 90 thousand dollars for school and the related stuff. Everyone in the military gets it for free, and it is probably the best perk you can get in the military, if you want an education.

Also, in the Air Force we get tuition assistance, which pays for all college classes that we take while on Active Duty. I dont know if the other branches of service do that or not.

[Jackofalltrades]

All the branches offer tuition assistance, these perks are very rarily branch specific, they usually cover the DoD as a whole.

[monstercat]

It was a bad PR move for the Army for sure, but that doesn't make me feel sorry for the guy. There was never any guarantee that he was gonna make the team in the first place.

[snake_fist_gung_fu]

Originally Posted by MadHatter28078

No, I do not feel sorry for him. He went to West Point under his own free will. Every graduate of the military academies KNOW they are signing up for a 6 year military commitment. He received a full scholarship in exchange for this commitment.

As a person who attended West Point, I expect him to fulfill his commitment just like every other young man and woman who took that oath. He should not be let out of it just because he is a good fotball player.

West Point in there for one reason....it is to train military officers.

I feel bad that they let him enter the draft and go through this emotional roller-coaster. However, fulfilling his commitment is his duty and responsibility.

Yea but they changed there policy mid stride because they were catching crow from other Cadettes parents. If there was a rule in there that said he was able to be a recruiter then the army should hold there promise as well as he should hold his. I really doubt he would have gone to the draft if he knew he was gonna have to say sorry guy now I have to go to war. He kept his promise the army is the one that did not keep theres.

[MadHatter28078]

Originally Posted by hdevonxz

I thought you couldn't put a price on a human life.....

My quote had nothing to do with "Putting a price on a life" dumbass.

Just that the military academies are there for one reason....to train military officers. It is not to train athletes for futures in professional sports. Every other cadet fulfills their obligation and commitment by serving....why should he be any different because he was a good football player. If he wanted a career in the NFL, he should have NEVER enrolled at West Point.

[MadHatter28078]

Originally Posted by EdwardTeach

As a veteran, I see how the military obligation would override the NFL and how Campbell shouldn't be surprised with their decision...it's the timing of the issue that bothers me. He was told, just as he was about to sign a contract and report to camp, that the policy had changed and that he wouldn't be allowed to stay. That had to suck. Still, he took the oath and he had to know that there was a possibility that this may happen.
I heard, briefly, on ESPN that there are apparently some WP graduates who were allowed to continue with their professional baseball commitments...anyone know anything about this?

I don't know about baseball, but I do know that David Robinson was let out of his commitment and allowed in the NBA.