Iraq? Detroit? Where Caleb Campbell should be
June 4, 2008 by James Edwards
Filed under Sports
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Helmets off to Caleb Campbell
Image details: Detroit Lions Rookie Camp served by picapp.com
Patriotism seems to have taken over in the United States of America. In a strange way, for those of us that lived through the Viet Nam era.
Patriotism during World War II was absolutely necessary, because every man and women was needed to pull off a victory. Go back and look at some of the death totals or read about the needed supplies of men and machines.
Patriotism during Viet Nam changed, because that war dragged on and the USA did not try to win that war. How do you defeat an enemy that lives in a jungle and might not be wearing a uniform? It was sad the way soldiers were treated upon return to the U.S. The public was worn out and failed to appreciate their sacrifice.
Now we have begun to once again see how difficult serving your country can be and how much the soldiers deserve our very best attention.
But what has this to do with Caleb Campbell? Is it more than fans of Navy getting jealous? Is Caleb trying to get out of going to Iraq?
But Campbell, 23, vehemently denies he is trying to get out of going to Iraq or Afghanistan. “They’re saying, ‘Hey, you’re not going to Iraq,’ ” he explains. “It’s like I was on a plane, headed to Iraq, and they pulled me off the plane and said, ‘Hey, you’re going to play NFL football.’ See, what people don’t understand is I’m going to still be commissioned as a second lieutenant, I’m still on active duty. I’m still serving my country, I’m just doing it in a different way. It’s not like I’m the only recruiter in the whole United States Army. I’m part of a recruiting unit. I came to the academy at a time of war. I thought I would be in the middle of it. But I have been given this extraordinary opportunity.”
It seems everyone has an opinion on his career plan. “The worst was a handwritten letter,” says Campbell, a native of Perryton, Texas. “It said, ‘Please don’t do this. How can you look your classmates in the eyes when they are serving their country and going to Iraq and you’re taking the easier way out?’ That hit me . . . But I’d be a fool not to take advantage of this opportunity.”
The support from those overseas has been positive.
Campbell says the overwhelming majority of e-mails he received were positive.
“There’s 40,000 West Point graduates behind you,” read one. Another is from overseas: “Go after the NFL dream and ignore anybody who says that deploying is the only way to serve. I’m in Afghanistan right now, and I’ll happily tell anyone who disagrees with your choice that the world has enough 2LT’s [second lieutenants] to let a guy with the potential for a pro career to give that dream a shot. If you represent us well as a player and a public figure, it’s more than enough for me.”
What about Pat Tillman? Caleb Campbell has a lot of respect for Pat.
Some e-mails contrast him to Pat Tillman, the Army Ranger who died in Afghanistan by friendly fire after giving up a million-dollar NFL career. Campbell bows his head and bites his lip when Tillman’s name is mentioned.
“Pat Tillman was an extraordinary man,” says Campbell. “I think his legacy will live forever. What he did is very courageous. But you can’t relate me to Pat Tillman, because he was just a far greater man. I mean, what he did was unbelievable, but that was his choice. Words can’t describe the way I feel about him.
This just seems like a win win. Caleb will continue to serve and to help direct many young men into the armed services that may have not considered it before.
What does Caleb think?
“It doesn’t bother me,” he contends. “People have the right to free speech of their opinions. That’s America. If we didn’t have those opinions, this would be a boring place. If anything, it’s motivated me to do bigger and better things. I don’t listen to it. I turn it around so I’m going to get that extra run. If anything, I thank them for the extra motivation they’ve given me.”
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Slim chances at making the roster but hey I give it up to him and hope he succeeds
As a Viet Nam veteran and I say more power to him. As for these people that have opinions about whether he should or shouldn’t, shut your pie hole. None of these people understand what this war is all about, or they wouldn’t even question him having the chance to go pro. That’s the point that’s missing, if this was WWII we’d all be involved, this is a mess not a war. Like Viet Nam people will forget the dead and wounded. Some of the best people I knew died there and I often wonder if they would have been one of thee people to make this world better, I’m sure they would have. Give him a chance….