Navy senior Adam Ballard is content with his decision to serve his country following graduation this spring.
“I had a lot of [pro] teams come out and watch me this year and talked to quite a few scouts playing in the East-West Shrine Game,” he said. “I had an agent for awhile, but as time wore on, I came to a realization [the Navy] didn?t have a policy in place and I didn?t see the Marine Corps being too flexible.”
But it might have been a different story if the fullback went to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.
Army, which cites an April 2005 memorandum from the secretary of the Army obtained by The Examiner, is allowing Caleb Campbell, drafted last weekend by the Detroit Lions, and classmate Mike Viti, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills, to serve by using their “unique talents” to bring attention to West Point.
Army, Navy and Air Force students serve a mandatory five years ?their active duty service obligation ? following graduation. Not all graduates are placed in combat or on the front lines, but all are commissioned as officers and assigned to a different post. All graduates, however, must serve at least two years.
But Army is allowing Campbell, a safety, and Viti, a fullback, to serve as professional players and military recruiters during that 24 month span.
“I was told that in season, we have one day off a week, and that day would be dedicated to my obligation,” Campbell said. “I also think in season, that me playing football and being in the Army will serve as a recruiting job in itself.”
Ballard, however, said it would be tough to abandon his classmates in a time of war.
“I don?t know if I would be able to look myself in the mirror everyday, making six digits [in salary] and playing football for a living while [my classmates] are defending our country. It?s a lot of guys? dreams to go play in the NFL, but once you come here and sign your papers, you are getting a free education. As a man, you hold up your end of the bargain.”
Naval Academy officials are concerned with how Army?s policy will impact its ability to recruit student-athletes. Navy officials claim Army?s interpretation to let its athletes signed by a professional team, including by a minor league baseball squad, play sports instead of leading troops at time of war has created an uneven playing field.
“We have had some questions from recruits who told us that they heard from Army they would be allowed to go pro and what would be our stance,” Navy football coach Ken Niumatalolo said. “I really don?t care one way or another what the policy is: I would just like it to be uniform across the academies.”
