Comments on: Caleb Campbell: Casualty of Military’s “Integrity Vacuum”

By: Year of the Monkey: Monkey In My Mind Year One | monkeyinmymind.com

Year of the Monkey: Monkey In My Mind Year One | monkeyinmymind.com — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:00:46 +0000

[...] lot of attention and links from the Wicked Local Blog. Next is my follow-up post about Army baller Caleb Campbell who was drafted by the NFL’s Detriot Lions and drafted back by the military when they reneged [...]

By: Green Bay Packers Taking Pointers from Former Bush Press Secretary | monkeyinmymind.com

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:28:42 +0000

[...] but as of now the Monkey and I can only construe the offer as further evidence of an “integrity vacuum” that permeates many strata of our culture, from the military to corporate America, to [...]

By: The Monkey

The Monkey — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:29:14 +0000

Casey:

Thanks for your thoughtful, informed reply. You make several great points in your comment and I am honored to provide an opportunity for a fellow man in uniform to speak up on the matter.

When I was at the Academy, I actually supported this idea that later became a short-lived policy because I thought those individuals could serve as ambassadors and recruiters for the military in a different way. Unorthodox? Definitely. Unpopular? Maybe. But I thought worth the cost. I suggested that the NFL team who wishes to draft a player would pay the government back for a portion of their West Point training in exchange for the individual taking a reserve assignment.

If you’re interested: here is the post I wrote when Campbell was first drafted, laying out my reasons for supporting the policy.

Regarding your point about athletes not staying in beyond their minimum commitment…that may be true but I know offhand of four of my classmates (3 corps squad football players) 1 soccer player who led very distinguished military careers and were some of the finest officers to wear the uniform. Pat Work and Eric Oliver were both standout defensive guys and later became extremely successful Army Rangers. Another friend of mine, Jimmy Adamouski, was a soccer player and one of the first to die in Iraq, getting shot down in his Blackhawk in the opening months of the war. I know these are just anecdotal examples but I am get the sense that many of the Corps Squad standouts served comparable stints to the non-corps squad graduates.

By: Casey

Casey — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:04:24 +0000

The policy which allows a service academy grad to play pro sports was flawed from its inception. The academies exist to provide leaders for our military, not jocks for our amusement. However, the academies’ leadership groups badly wanted this policy to attract better athletes for their sports programs, in the misguided (IMHO) notion that better sports programs will lead to more visibility for the academies and more successful recruiting. The problem with this is that they want to attract better athletes to have better sports programs, but they neglect the fact that of all major groups of cadets at the academies (they are categorized as scholars, leaders or athletes during admissions process), athletes have the lowest rates of staying on active duty beyond their minimum service obligation. Their mindset is that of an athlete who happens to be a cadet, rather than a cadet who happens to be an athlete, and this flawed mindset affects their entire outlook towards serving their country. So, I think the entire policy is misguided, contradictory to all that the academies stand for, and a very bad idea. That said, Caleb Campbell is a fine young man who was playing by the rules as published at the time. For the Army, or DOD for that matter, to pull a stunt like this on the day before he was to report to the Lions’ camp is dishonest, mean-spirited and just wrong. Both DA and DOD were well aware, in the weeks before the draft, that he might be drafted. At any time, they could have changed the policy and told him he was ineligible and that would have been the end of it. Instead, they did the stupidest thing they could in the most ham-handed way they could. Finally, guess what Caleb Campbell will likely be doing for the two years of active duty he has to serve. Hint: he won’t be going to Iraq or Afghanistan. Instead, West Point has told him he will be serving as an assistant football coach for two years, and will then be eligible for the NFL draft again. However, what will be the chances that any team will select him, or any other athlete, given the past performance by DA and DOD? This stinks all around, and this poor kid is stuck in the middle, watching fools screw up every part of his professional life. BTW, I am also a WP grad and a career officer, and this is my view from the couch.

By: hangemall

hangemall — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:57:39 +0000

I did not miss the point, the army changed its mind after pressure was placed on them by other branches of service. The Navy has a top notch pitcher who was drafted by the Cardinals but he was not permitted to vacate his commitments. The bottom line here is he knew there was a chance he’d be forced to fulfill his contract with the Army and I find it commendable Mr. Campbell seems to be taking it well. But if Mr. Campbell did his homework in college and indulged in recreational perusal of the news as it relates to the military complex he knows the military is notorious for flip flopping. I grew up military, we, as well as other groups, have a saying when referring to politicians and military statements and promises - “They say, they say”. The point is obvious so I’ll not insult your intelligence.
Again I’ll cry a river for Mr. Campbell, he should have known better. He signed a contract with with a fickle partner.

By: Army's Caleb Campbell No Draft-Dodger | monkeyinmymind.com

Army's Caleb Campbell No Draft-Dodger | monkeyinmymind.com — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 03:18:07 +0000

[...] RELATED POST: Caleb Campbell: Casualty of Military’s “Integrity Vacuum” [...]

By: The Monkey

The Monkey — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:49:35 +0000

The Monkey and I appreciate the interest and comments on this story, but it seems like many might be missing the point: when Campbell entered the Academy as a freshman the policy allowing him to enter the NFL DIDN’T EXIST. It was initiated in 2005. He had an opportunity to go to a football factory but didn’t and should be commended for his decision to enter West Point.

The problem we have is that the ARMY - not Caleb Campbell - created the policy to allow those with special abilities to puruse things like the NFL. It’s not like Caleb had this idea to be a pro football player when he was being hazed at Beast Barracks. Then the DoD decides to change the policy three years after it was initiated, and several months after he was drafted by the Lions.

Our point is that if the Army didn’t like the policy, they shouldn’t have put it into place in the first place, and certainly shouldn’t have revoked it only after one individual benefited from it. Our problem is that they changed the rules in the middle of the game.

And to set the record straight - whomever is perpetuating the myth that West Point cadets get paid $30,000 per year doesn’t know their facts. From the West Point website:

A cadet earns about $600 a month or nearly $7,200 a year. A portion of that cadet pay is deposited into a personal checking account. Another portion of cadet pay is deposited to a “Cadet Account” that is used to help a cadet pay for expenses such as uniforms, books, a computer, activity fees, etc. Each cadet will pay a standard amount for laundry, dry cleaning, haircuts, tailoring services and shoe repair. A cadet’s gross salary is subject to federal and state withholding taxes and social security deductions.

As far as Second Lieutenant base pay, the scale is currently set at $2555 per month, or a little over $30,000 per year.

By: hangemall

hangemall — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:56:04 +0000

Maybe Campbell should have opted for a different college as Rich stated. Campbell is not a child, he knew what he was doing when he opted for West Point. I grew weary of special treatment for ‘certain’ members of the armed forces long ago. Being a good football player does NOT make this particular person any more special than a man with four children currently sitting his tail end in the sandbox. This being said, the family of five with their father/husband in Iraq has much much more to lose if he should be injured of killed serving his country. So what if Campbell misses out on a few million dollars I’ll be sure to cry a river for him.

By: Joyce Davison

Joyce Davison — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:46:53 +0000

I agree with Rich P. that one knows the requisite demands after one completes an education at West Point. However, I agree with Paul Davison, that the DOD has been perilously dishonest to our troops and our nation, on numerous occasions throughout this filthy war. Honor is honor, and truth is truth, and there are no gray areas.

By: Frank Rizzo

Frank Rizzo — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 16:13:58 +0000

DOD definitely screwed up here by waiting until the last second to change this policy, and I am happy to see Campbell willingly accept his active duty stint (have no fear, the Army will make every effort to pack him in cotton to avoid exacerbating the PR disaster by having him get killed in combat.) Having said that & thinking broader than this specific case, there never should be PR or “feel good” exceptions made for Service academy or ROTC grads to sluff their active duty commitment to go play professional sports, or do anything else that other what “normal” grads do, especially during time of war. That is a slap in the face to everyone junior officer that gets no such special treatment for the press circus. Roger Staubach comes to mind. If you want to pursue a dream of pro sports, go for it- but do not sign up for a 4 year stint & then expect to sit out the war. Sign up for a reserve unit, or put the athletics on hold until your commitment is up.