Another Reason I Hate the Army
Don’t get me wrong - I FULLY support the men and women who put their lives on the line in the military. The “establishment” itself though? God, I hate the Army. I’ve had too many bad experiences with them screw over people…and now this.
This past April, one of Army’s few good players, Caleb Campbell, was give notice that he’d be allowed to enter the 2008 draft. If selected, Campbell would service the remainder of his time in the military as a recruiter. Working full-time in two jobs would be hard, but Campbell was willing, and subsequently, the kid was drafted in the 7th round by the Detroit Lions.
Now the Army is changing their tune. Lions’ president, Matt Millen, received a letter today stating that Campbell would NOT be allowed to be a recruiter and would be forced to return to, and I quote, “full-time traditional military duties.” His release date from the military would be May 2010.
Excuse me?
I get it - without policy, the military would fall apart. This is ridiculous, though. Not only are they going back on their word to Campbell, but they have cost the Lions a player, and possible may have fucked over Campbell or the Lions in terms of money, depending on the contract. All because of “policy.”
Let me tell you a brief story…and believe me, there’s a lot more to it than this, but I’ll just give you an overview. A close friend of mine was injured in Iraq. His medical discharge papers were lost somewhere along the way, so he received them but his unit did not. This spring, they began proceeding to take him to jail for desertion, because the paperwork was never sent to them, and the only reason he found out is because now, fully healed, he wanted to go back in. Because the proceedings had already begun the “best they could do” was drop the desertion charges and list him as “other than honorable,” which means he’ll have a very hard time getting back in and he lost lost many of his veteran benefits. He HAS the paperwork proving that it was their mistake, but because of “POLICY” there is “nothing they can do.”
It’s bullshit, just like it is bullshit that Campbell has to give up his spot with the Lions. Policy is great, but there’s this thing call EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE. In good faith, the Army should recognize that they were mistaken in allowing Campbell to join the draft and serve as a recruiter, and because it was their mistake, they should stick to their word. After all, they NEED recruiters. It isn’t as if he would be released early or something.
It would be one thing if Campbell was told from the start that he couldn’t be drafted. After all, you know damn well what you’re getting into when you join the military. No one forces you to serve. That wasn’t the case, though, and now, everyone suffers.
Make no mistake - the people in our nation’s military are by far some of the strongest, bravest people you’ll ever meet, and I send them my thoughts and prayers to serve safely. The bureaucracy though? I hate the Army.
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Army
4 opinions for Another Reason I Hate the Army
ryan
Jul 24, 2008 at 7:04 am
Why couldn’t they have told us this a month or two ago… the draft was over two months ago and they just tell us this now.
I’m not surprised this happened to the Lions… only the Lions.
Eric
Aug 2, 2008 at 4:01 pm
While the Army “establishment” often does this to people, how can you pin this on the Army? It’s Campbell’s “fault”, if you want to call it that. By signing up to attend a service academy, it’s understood that you’ll put your service first and sports second. The Army had a perfect right to ask him to serve instead of playing immediately.
But yeah, I wish brave men and women in harm’s way nothing but the best.
Allison
Aug 3, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Eric, I TOTALLY agree with you - when you sign up for the Army, you do so under your own free will, and by signing your contract, you agree that the military comes before other career aspirations, having a family, and so forth. I’m amazed every day about that people who fight stop-loss, for example. You KNOW about stop-loss before you sign your contract.
My issue here is that they told him it was ok to enter the draft. They worked out a deal so that he could be a recruiter while playing football. The Lions used a draft pick on him, and he’d been living the last few months as though he’d be playing football with them - in fact, he signed a contract with them too.
Then, the Army changed there mind. That’s not fair to Campbell, and it is especially not fair to the Lions, who would have never picked him had the Army said from the start that he couldn’t play. I’m not “pinning” this situation on the Army for making him server - I’m pinning it on them for waiting until right before the season started to change their minds, which screws over more people than just Campbell. Had they said this from the start, I wouldn’t be upset at all.
Ashley Irwin
Nov 25, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Oh my freaking god!
The army screws over EVERYONE!
Okay first of all….as far as you’re particular story goes.
He should have been honorablely discharged for a “once in a lifetime” opportunity…that’s not my opinion, that’s the army’s rule.
I hate the f”ing army so bad ‘the establishment’.
My husband is in Iraq right right now and is getting screwed out of leave days as I type…
He’ll probably end up getting here on Thanksgiving and they won’t even fly him all the way home we have to pick him up in Atlanta which we cant change even though now he will be getting her on Thanksgiving and my whole family will be in Mississippi and I don’t have a drivers liscense.
Guess what. The army. Doesn’t care.
Big suprise.
They don’t care about their soldiers. At all.
They treat them like shit. And they treat the wives worse. I’ve seen it first hand.
Oh home, off post by the way, has been invaded.
(although i had city police MAKE them leave)
They tried to send me bake to my parents when I first moved out to OK near post with my husband because I was 17 and they didn’t want to “babysit” me. His commanders have belittled him to an EXTREME extent in front of me cursing included even though cursing in front of me is against army policy and guess what…no one cares. I had to stand up to the dude because my husband would be pretty much screwed if he did…and he yelled at ME.
I hate the Army.
It is a total croc and anyone who joins is screwed.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: