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7/24/08
Caleb Campbell, Lions' Draft Pick From Army, Told To Report For Military Duty Instead Of Training Camp
So Much For "Good Faith"
One of the best stories from this spring's NFL Draft was the Detroit Lions 7th round selection of Army football safety Caleb Campbell. He was more than deserving of getting a chance to play in the NFL, and was in person to talk about the honor with ESPN.

He was an Army recruiting dream, which is what he was told would be his military service if he could secure a position on an NFL active roster. It was a good faith policy decision, emphasis on was.

Campbell was told yesterday as he prepared to report to Lions training camp that he would be reporting for traditional military duty instead due to a change in policy to comply with a Department of Defense measure.

It's disappointing on several fronts. First, why did this happen on the night before he was going to embark on his football career? Secondly, Caleb Campbell would have been a recruiting machine for the Army, who desperately needs those services.

I understand when Campbell signed up at West Point, he understood what was expected of him and was committed to actively serving the military and with the likelihood he would be sent to the Middle East. But then why tease a kid with a "good faith" policy to allow him to pursue a career with his unique talents, one that would have benefited the Army immensely.

I'm hardly capable of understanding all the complexities here, so I'd rather hear from those with military backgrounds. Do you think it was fair for Campbell to bypass traditional military duties and earn NFL dollars?

The thing that gets me most, is that it's another PR hit for the military. Campbell is a very charismatic West Point graduate and could have single-handedly improved recruiting efforts with his notoriety as an NFL player. Sometimes it's not so much whether it's right or wrong, but how it appears to the public as a whole.

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346 days ago
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kantwistaye wrote:
I know some people were upset that he was going to be allowed to pursue his football career in the first place, but the Army should be embarassed by this.  They didn't honor their word, why should he?
It wasn't an Army decision, it was a Department of Defense policy.  DOD just made the Army comply with an already existing DOD policy.  This kind of stuff happens all the time.  One branch of the military makes a policy that conflicts with a DOD policy.  Too bad for Campbell.
 
346 days ago
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whom ever didn't see this coming was crazy.  the military has been snapping up any available soldier they can get.  what made this guy think that he was going to be any different.  He is soldier and an athlete at the wrong time. 
 
346 days ago
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I know some people were upset that he was going to be allowed to pursue his football career in the first place, but the Army should be embarassed by this.  They didn't honor their word, why should he?
 
346 days ago
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kantwistaye wrote:
I know some people were upset that he was going to be allowed to pursue his football career in the first place, but the Army should be embarassed by this.  They didn't honor their word, why should he?
It wasn't an Army decision, it was a Department of Defense policy.  DOD just made the Army comply with an already existing DOD policy.  This kind of stuff happens all the time.  One branch of the military makes a policy that conflicts with a DOD policy.  Too bad for Campbell.
 
346 days ago
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c9303000 wrote:
It wasn't an Army decision, it was a Department of Defense policy.  DOD just made the Army comply with an already existing DOD policy.  This kind of stuff happens all the time.  One branch of the military makes a policy that conflicts with a DOD policy.  Too bad for Campbell.
I think it's too bad for the Army. I realize he has an obligation to serve his country, but where the military is struggling is recruiting. From what I saw on draft day, this guy could single handedly influence recruiting numbers.

That's not what most view as acceptable duty, but I think it this change in policy that makes recruiting very difficult, even if it only affects 1 in every 2 million who enlist. It's all PR.
 
346 days ago
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kantwistaye wrote:
I know some people were upset that he was going to be allowed to pursue his football career in the first place, but the Army should be embarassed by this.  They didn't honor their word, why should he?
Ummm... because they can send him to jail if he doesn't? He has no legal recourse against the military. For those unfamiliar with the way the military works, they win damn near every time.
 
346 days ago
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sportsgnork wrote:
whom ever didn't see this coming was crazy.  the military has been snapping up any available soldier they can get.  what made this guy think that he was going to be any different.  He is soldier and an athlete at the wrong time. 
Unless you're gay.
 
346 days ago
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Jon wrote:
Unless you're gay.
Then they do win every damn time!
 
345 days ago
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c9303000 wrote:
It wasn't an Army decision, it was a Department of Defense policy.  DOD just made the Army comply with an already existing DOD policy.  This kind of stuff happens all the time.  One branch of the military makes a policy that conflicts with a DOD policy.  Too bad for Campbell.

It's not like the Lions are really in the NFL. Going back to the army might look better than playing for Detroit.

 
345 days ago
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While some will find the Army’s decision to “re-call” Campbell questionable, let us all remember that he chose to attend a service academy.  He signed a contract enlisting in the Army for 6 years.

For those of you who are not aware, there was a hall of fame baseball player who enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII (1942-1946).  He was recalled by the Marine Corps during the Korean War (1952-1953). He spent almost 5 years serving his country. Many fans regard this player as the best ever to play the game. Ted Williams is truly the best veteran to ever play any sport and is a true American Hero!
 
343 days ago
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bpa4bes wrote:

While some will find the Army’s decision to “re-call” Campbell questionable, let us all remember that he chose to attend a service academy.  He signed a contract enlisting in the Army for 6 years.

For those of you who are not aware, there was a hall of fame baseball player who enlisted in the Marine Corps during WWII (1942-1946).  He was recalled by the Marine Corps during the Korean War (1952-1953). He spent almost 5 years serving his country. Many fans regard this player as the best ever to play the game. Ted Williams is truly the best veteran to ever play any sport and is a true American Hero!
A lot of players lost time because of WWII and the Korean War. Everybody always looks to Ted Williams as the example. How about this example. Willie Mays lost two seasons serving his country. I don't think it's farfetched to believe he would've broke the HR record way before Aaron had he played. It's pretty widely accepted that Mays is greater than Williams, if not the best ever. Keep in mind that Mays was fighting for a country that he wasn't even accepted by, a country in which he barely had rights, but fought anyway. I think that makes him "truly the best veteran to ever play any sport" not to mention a "true American Hero."
 
342 days ago
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LA_dodgers_fan wrote:
A lot of players lost time because of WWII and the Korean War. Everybody always looks to Ted Williams as the example. How about this example. Willie Mays lost two seasons serving his country. I don't think it's farfetched to believe he would've broke the HR record way before Aaron had he played. It's pretty widely accepted that Mays is greater than Williams, if not the best ever. Keep in mind that Mays was fighting for a country that he wasn't even accepted by, a country in which he barely had rights, but fought anyway. I think that makes him "truly the best veteran to ever play any sport" not to mention a "true American Hero."

they both served in a non volunteer army lets go back a few years ago. a starting safety making millions enlisted in the army became a Ranger then was killed by his own accidentally. I am in the Army today and I dont like it and i wasnt making much before. this guy making millions does this instead of playing a sport he loved and played all his life.that is as much an american hero then you will ever see or hear about. Mays and Williams were greatness of course but no one stands toe to toe with Pat Tillman when i comes to athletes that are true american heroes no one...

 

Go Army!!!!!!! Support our troops we support you.Hooah!!!!

 

R.I.P. Pat Tillman

 
342 days ago
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correction non volunteer military not just army....and now it is a all volunteer military....
 
342 days ago
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chadesanders wrote:

they both served in a non volunteer army lets go back a few years ago. a starting safety making millions enlisted in the army became a Ranger then was killed by his own accidentally. I am in the Army today and I dont like it and i wasnt making much before. this guy making millions does this instead of playing a sport he loved and played all his life.that is as much an american hero then you will ever see or hear about. Mays and Williams were greatness of course but no one stands toe to toe with Pat Tillman when i comes to athletes that are true american heroes no one...

 

Go Army!!!!!!! Support our troops we support you.Hooah!!!!

 

R.I.P. Pat Tillman

I'm glad to see we all have our favorites. It seems one thing we can all agree on is all the players discussed are heroes. The same is all to be said about all war veterans. They all showed courage that most of us only dream about. Back to the original subject, he signed his papers and it is what it is. I doubt he chose West Point because it was his best path to the NFL. More likely because he wanted to pursue a military career. Being that he's a West Point graduate I'm sure he is a man of honor. Yes I agree it's unfortunate. Yes I agree it's bad PR for the military. But isn't it entirely possible that he understands and accepts his duty and we're the ones making the big deal out of this? I'm sure most of you have learned this, but to those who didn't, life ain't fair. Congratulations Caleb on the success, but I'm sorry about the one that got away.
 
342 days ago
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yes once you sign those papers and get on that bus you are Uncle Sams

 

like we say in the army .US Army stands for

Uncle Sam Aint Releasing Me Yet

 
342 days ago
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chadesanders wrote:

yes once you sign those papers and get on that bus you are Uncle Sams

 

like we say in the army .US Army stands for

Uncle Sam Aint Releasing Me Yet

I always thought it stood for:

Aren't
Ready for the
Marines
Yet
 
342 days ago
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Pat wrote:
I always thought it stood for:

Aren't
Ready for the
Marines
Yet

then it would be arftmy  dont make sense

My

Ass

Rides

In

Navy

Equipment

 
342 days ago
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There's only one way to settle this.... a walk-off
 
342 days ago
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chadesanders wrote:

then it would be arftmy  dont make sense

My

Ass

Rides

In

Navy

Equipment

Ooooh... sick burn...
 
342 days ago
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kantwistaye wrote:
There's only one way to settle this.... a walk-off
I'm not sure if that's a good idea... I'm not an ambi-turner.
 
342 days ago
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i cant hate on the marines tho........ same team tho Army is like the shiz in this biatch

 
342 days ago
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chadesanders wrote:

i cant hate on the marines tho........ same team tho Army is like the shiz in this biatch

Honestly, the highlight of my life is going to be October 15th or so... because that's when I go on terminal leave. So don't worry... I'll hate on the Marines enough for the both of us.
 
342 days ago
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Pat wrote:
Honestly, the highlight of my life is going to be October 15th or so... because that's when I go on terminal leave. So don't worry... I'll hate on the Marines enough for the both of us.
haha i am not gonna be out till 2010 so you are lucky as hell and i am stuck in alaska
 
341 days ago
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chadesanders wrote:
haha i am not gonna be out till 2010 so you are lucky as hell and i am stuck in alaska
I'm "stuck" in Hawaii... it's so terrible.
 
 
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