New Army Policy Benefits NFL Rookie

In case you lost interest by the time the NFL Draft rolled around to the seventh round last weekend, Caleb Campbell, a safety from Army, was chosen by the Detroit Lions with the 218th pick of the draft.

Unlike professional-caliber athletes of the past from the military academies, Campbell is the first Army football player to benefit from a new policy that will allow him to play professional football while fulfilling his military commitment as a recruiter and in the reserves. Campbell will spend his Tuesday off days from the Lions visiting local high schools and working as a recruiter.

If his football career lasts longer than two seasons, Campbell will have the opportunity to buy out the remaining three years of his active-duty commitment in exchange for six years in the reserves.

Roger Staubach and David Robinson would likely have loved a deal like that.

Critics of the new policy call it unfair to Campbell's classmates and fellow soldiers. Now, critics argue, someone else will have to take Campbell's place if his unit is deployed to Iraq.

This argument is weak.

If Campbell's unit is sent to the Middle East or wherever else, Joe Blow and John Doe in his unit are going to see combat whether Campbell plays for the Lions or not. Nobody's going to replace Campbell who isn't already expecting to be deployed to Iraq.

If there was a military draft in place, then the critics' argument would be stronger. If a military draft was in place, I would suspect the new military policy regarding professional athletes would be reversed to what it was before: five years of service BEFORE the big bucks and limelight of pro sports.

Now all Campbell has to do is make the team.