but sports do not override the reason you attend the academies. if your only reason for attending an academy is to play pro sports, you need to have your head examined.

if you get to pursue a pro sport consider yourself lucky, but that does not override your military obligation if you must fulfill it.



[This message has been edited by txdawg80 (edited 7/26/2008 2:41p).]

And the Army deemed he could fulfill his requirement while playing in the NFL.

Then, the day before training camp, the DoD over-ruled this decision.

It's not rocket science.

It's not like he's even doing anything important for the Army...he's freaking coaching at West Point.

you're right it's not, he had orders he could play, now he has orders to resume traditional military duties.

the nfl does not override your military obligation.

and no one has said it does. the issue is whether or not the decision was a necessary one.

And whether or not he got screwed.

BAD PR considering the Army allowed him initially to go and potentially get drafted, which he did, then initially allowed him to workout until a day before training camp. Yeah and they are crying about having recruitment problems. Way to go guys.

The Army is already having trouble getting recruits. One way that they are able to do that is by making promises to kids who are interested in joining, whether its a signing bonus, guaranteed training, etc. The last the Army needs is to have one of its most high-profile recruits have to say, "the Army made me a promise, then had to go back on it." How many other kids might look at that and think, "Wow, if the Army lied to a guy like that, how can I know they'll do what they promised for me?"

One thing y'all are not truly understanding is that DoD is the one pulling the strings here. Here's why:

For those of you familiar with Military Recruiting, you know that different services have different entrance standards (waivers, test scores, tattoos, etc.). As of the end of the Fiscal Year, that will no longer be the case.

Starting very soon, all branches of service will have the same admission standards to include the Guard. This decision by DoD might have something to do with it.

I think I said at least 3x' the DoD screwed him.