Tax payers pay for his entire education, thousands of dollars of top notch training at a federal service academy, and the Army lets him go to the NFL.....
Do Rhodes Scholars have any added obligations, or are those two years just ticked off of their obligations?
I don't know. Ask Martin Dempsey, MA Literature, Duke University.
A couple of years ago I watched him, quoting Thucydides, pick apart an uninformed Senator who was trying to make a case for a preemptive strike on Iran.
Dempsey didn't have a Masters degree when he was a platoon leader, so I don't think he can answer the question.
Yes, Rhodes scholars might become future generals as any SA NCAA athletes, but what I am focusing on is the short term/immediate requirement of serving with troops as a second LT. I believe by my classmate who was Rhodes scholar resigned from the Army within a few years of his service obligation being over.
We should be more objective and try to quantify return on money spent on cadets. I think a good metric is total years of service in the Army.
Hundreds of thousands....
But what is he actually doing for the Army? Could other members of his class be in the same billet/position? That's what I don't know. I'm not going to label him a "S-bag" because he may be fillining an admin role, IF others from West Point may fill the same role. But if the guy is given some kind of light duty assignment where he shows up once a week... well, then, it's not so great.
Not sure if I'm fully answering your question, but the assistant coaching slots are only open to athletes and are typically used for guys that got hurt and need more time to recover, need to cut down to meet size standards, etc.
How is he meeting his obligations to the U.S. Army?
In my opinion, he isn't
From what I've heard, I, at least initially, agree. But what is his job in the Army while he's with the Ravens? That's what I'm trying to figure out. And is that job open to anyone at West Point or is he "tehcnically" serving the Army by pushing paper in a windowless room 2 hours a day.
From what I've heard, I, at least initially, agree. But what is his job in the Army while he's with the Ravens? That's what I'm trying to figure out. And is that job open to anyone at West Point or is he "tehcnically" serving the Army by pushing paper in a windowless room 2 hours a day.
While I do not know the answer to your questions, here are the likely determining factors:
1. He cannot be a full-time Active Duty PL and attempt to play in the NFL. The time commitments for both are mutually exclusive.
2. You can't just defer the start of his service obligation like you would for a Rhodes scholar because the length of his NFL career is unknown and the possibility for injury is high.
- At this point, they can either let him go straight to the reserves and have him become a recruiter (similar to David Robinson) and/or assistant coach, or they can make him defer his start in the NFL for 2-5 years and go do at least part of his service commitment. Neither of these options are available to the average 2LT upon graduation
Heck no. If his unit is called, he should deploy. The reserves people sign up, mothers get called at inconvenient life times, they don't have a say on saying no or a convenient position or training time and location.
If he gets injured on the NFL and can't satisfy his commitment then he should pay up at that time. Kids get kicked out of ROTC.
A Department of Defense directive that took effect in 2008 says graduates can apply for early release after two years of active duty to participate in pro sports. If it is granted, they serve in the military reserves and pay back part of their education costs.
"Exceptional personnel with unique talents and abilities may be released … when there is a strong expectation they will provide the Department with significant favorable media exposure likely to enhance national recruiting or public affairs efforts," says the directive.
Decisions on the requests are made by each branch of the military – not the academies.
"It's not West Point's decision. … It's a big Army decision," says Boo Corrigan, athletic director at Army.
"If they are cut, for example in football, and they're no longer part of the team, they've got to go back to active duty," says Chet Gladchuk, Navy athletic director.
Ravens are sold on Army's Steelman
Senior attends mini-camp
By Sal Interdonato
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 05/04/13
Trent Steelman has qualities that the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens covet.
The Ravens like the way Steelman ran Army's offense. They may like Steelman's intangibles more.
Steelman's heart, his passion for the game.
Maybe that's why the Ravens gave Steelman a second chance.
Steelman, a free-agent signee, didn't report for Baltimore's rookie mini-camp Thursday. Bob Steelman said his son was at an airport Thursday afternoon ready to board for Baltimore when West Point called him back to post because of a misunderstanding in paperwork.
"There was just some confusion," Bob Steelman said.
The Ravens originally told Steelman that they had to fill his spot, his father said.
"That's the way the NFL is," Bob Steelman said. "Then they called him back and said, 'Trent, we love you if you can get down here by 7 a.m. You have to have a physical.' He made it."
Steelman left West Point around midnight as Thursday night turned into Friday morning, Bob Steelman said, and drove four hours to Baltimore. A few hours later, Steelman passed his physical and was fitted for a uniform and pads.
Steelman was unavailable for comment Friday.
"He's just totally exhausted," Bob Steelman said. "Maybe he will get a good night's sleep tonight and get something in the tank and he'll be fine."
Steelman wore a purple No. 7 and played slot receiver Friday. Quarterback Caleb Hanie wears No. 8, Steelman's number at West Point. Baltimore may also give him a look at safety.
"We are really excited about giving Trent an opportunity to make the Ravens," said Joe Hortiz, the team's director of college scouting. "He was a top competitor and playmaker while playing quarterback in Army's offense who displayed his ability to make the transition to wide receiver to our scouts while down at the East-West Shrine game. On top of his ability, I know we are getting a person with high character, integrity and leadership which has repeatedly shown itself to us throughout the process scouting and talking to him."
Baltimore's mini-camp runs through the weekend and free agents are generally notified whether they are going to be invited to training camp. Dave Lee, Steelman's agent, has said the Ravens intend "to bring him to training camp and compete."
If Steelman is invited, he can use leave time to attend the camp once he graduates West Point later this month. Steelman is required to serve two years of military duty before he asks for his release from the Army to pursue the NFL full-time.
"Trent is a gamer," Bob Steelman said. "He knows what he owes the Army and West Point. He knows he's beholden to those guys big-time."
Trent Steelman discusses signing as undrafted free agent with Baltimore Ravens
APRIL 27, 2013[/B]
Here are Steelman’s comments:
TRENT STEELMAN
Army obligations: “It’ll be a case-by-case, but first and foremost, I know the Army is my duty, and I’ll do everything I have to comply with them. I want to represent the Army the best way I can and work from there.”
- Zach Greenwell, Daily News reporter
Sports news from the WKU and BG preps scene